UCSB  LIBRARY 


THE 


HYMN    OF   HILDEBERT 


AND    OTHKR 


MEDIAEVAL     HYMNS 


WITH   TRANSLATIONS 


BY    ERASTUS    C.    BENEDICT 


A   NEW   AND  ENLARGED  EDITION 


NEW  YORK 
ANSON    D.    F.    RANDOLPH    &    CO. 

I  868 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  tn  the  year  Ib67,  by 
ANSON  D.  F.  RANDOLPH, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
District  of  New  York. 


BRADSTREKT  I'UKSS. 


PREFACE. 


THESE  translations  have  been  the  agreeable  labor  of 
occasional  hours  of  leisure.  Several  of  them  have  at 
different  times,  during  the  last  fifteen  years,  appeared  in 
public  journals,  literary  and  religious,  and  the  favorable 
mention  made  of  some  of  them  has  induced  me  to  collect 
those  which  have  been  published,  and  to  add  some  others, 
including  the  Hymn  of  Hildebert  to  the  Trinity.  Of  some 
of  them,  previous  translations  are  numerous  and  excel- 
lent. 

In  making  this  selection,  my  aim  has  been  to  bring 
together  such  a  variety  of  hymns  and  topics  as  should,  in 
small  compass,  exhibit  the  evangelical  faith  and  character 
of  those  eminent  and  devout  men,  whose  light  shone  so 
purely  in  that  period  of  Christianity  which  we  call  the 
Middle  Ages;  their  ideas  of  God  and  his  attributes,  of 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  their  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures ;  their  exhaustive  treatment  of  their 
topics,  and  their  modes  of  thought  and  expression,  so 


IV  PREFACE. 

simple  and  unpretentious.  I  was  also  especially  influ- 
enced by  a  desire  to  exhibit  that  oneness  of  evangelical 
faith,  and  that  Christian  union  in  the  gre?t  characteristic 
and  essential  elements  of  our  holy  religion,  which  enables 
us  to  acknowledge  our  brotherhood  with  these  simple- 
minded,  cultivated,  and  sanctified  men,  who  devoted  their 
lives  to  religion  as  it  was  presented  by  the  Saviour  and 
his  sacred  family,  and  their  early  successors,  appealing  to 
the  heart  instead  of  to  the  senses,  and  manifesting  itself 
in  great  but  simple  and  intelligible  truths,  and  not  in 
forms  and  rites,  and  ceremonies  and  vestments.  I  make 
little  account  of  the  fact  that  they  may  have  believed 
something  which  I  cannot  believe,  and  may  have  used  a 
ritual  and  liturgy  which  I  disapprove.  I  never  stop  to 
think  that  the  authors  of  the  "Imitation  of  Christ,"  of  the 
"Holy  Living  and  Dying,"  of  the  "Pilgrim's  Progress," 
held  to  points  of  faith,  and  used  rites  and  modes  of  worship 
different  from  mine,  any  more  than  I  do  that  the  holy 
apostles  themselves,  who  were  with  the  Lord  continually, 
and  listened  to  those  daily  teachings  which  drew  such 
crowds  of  hearers,  and  who  saw  all  his  miracles,  were, 
even  after  the  resurrection,  still  ignorant  of  the  nature 
of  his  kingdom,  of  his  sacrifice,  and  of  his  great  salva- 
tion. 

I  make  no  apology  for  the  simplicity  and  naturalness 
of  these  translations.     It  would  have  been  less  laborious 


PREFACE.  V 

and  difficult,  to  make  translations  which,  to  certain  tastes, 
would  have  been  more  agreeable,  and  would  have  seemed 
more  poetical — expanded  paraphrases — English  hymns 
founded  upon  the  Latin  ones,  intensified  by  epithets  and 
ornamented  with  imagery.  My  own  taste,  however, 
found  a  great  charm  in  the  great  simplicity  and  brevity 
of  the  originals,  and  I  preferred  to  translate  those  striking 
qualities.  I  have  accordingly  kept  the  English  version 
within  the  length  of  the  Latin  original,  and  have  en- 
deavored to  perform  this  task,  certainly  difficult,  and 
sometimes  said  to  be  impossible,  without  sacrificing  ease 
in  versification,  or  the  meaning  and  spirit  of  the  original 
How  far  I  have  succeeded  must  be  left  to  the  judgment 
of  others. 

In  most  cases  also  I  have  adopted  the  stanza  and 
measure  of  the  original,  and  the  double  rhymes  and  dac- 
tylic terminations  so  common  with  those  Latin  hymnolo- 
gists.  I  do  not  share  the  opinion  sometimes  expressed, 
that  in  our  language  such  rhymes  are  inconsistent  with 
the  dignity,  gravity,  and  tenderness  which  may  be  ex- 
pressed by  them  in  Latin,  and  without  which  sacred 
hymns  would  lose  their  character.  To  this  opinion,  per- 
haps, may  be  attributed  the  fact,  that  in  the  English 
version  of  the  psalms  by  Dr.  Watts,  there  are  no  double 
rhymes,  except  three  couplets  in  his  translation  of  the 
Fiftieth  Fsalm,  and  in  the  versions  of  Tate  and  Brady, 


VI  PJiEFA  CE. 

and  of  Stcrnhold  and  Hopkins  none,  and  that  the  earlier 
translations  of  the  Dies  Irce  were  made  in  single  rhyme. 
Many  of  the  more  recent  ones,  however,  are  made  with 
double  rhyme,  and  I  apprehend  that  the  opinion  is  now 
general  that  the  true  spirit  and  solemnity  of  that  great 
hymn  are  better  exhibited  in  some  of  the  double  rhyme 
translations  than  they  are  in  any  others.  When  the  line 
is  trochaic,  the  trochaic  ending  preserves,  instead  of  im- 
pairing, the  tone  and  feeling  of  the  lines — which  may  be 
expressive  of  any  sentiment,  however  grave  or  tender. 
Many  of  the  sweetest  and  most  devotional  hymns  in  our 
language,  are  in  double  rhyme,  and  I  need  refer  only  to 
the  grace  and  dignity,  as  well  as  tenderness  and  strength, 
with  which  Wesley  and  Heber  and  others,  use  the  double 
rh}'me,  to  show  the  truth  of  these  remarks.  I  am, 
indeed,  by  no  means  certain  that  the  double  rhyme  may 
not  in  the  end,  prove  to  be  the  higher  and  better  style  of 
versification  and  rhythm.  I  incline  to  the  belief  that 
there  is  in  it  a  more  graceful  cadence,  a  more  flowing  and 
easy  transition,  and  a  more  unbroken  harmony,  than  in 
the  sometimes  crisp  and  sharp  ending  of  the  single  rhyme. 
It  is  surprising  that  Milton,  who  used  rhyme  with  ad- 
mirable skill,  should  speak  of  it  as  the  invention  of  a 
barbarous  age,  to  set  off  wretched  matter  and  lame  metre. 
In  the  universality  of  rhyme,  as  in  the  further  fact  that  it 
is  peculiar  neither  to  the  rudeness  of  an  early  and  bar- 


PREFACE.  Vll 

barons  ago,  nor  to  the  over-refined  ingenuity  of  a  late 
and  artificial  one,  but  runs  through  whole  literatures,  we 
find  its  best  defence,  and  the  evidence  that  it  lies  deep  in 
our  human  nature,  since  otherwise  so  many  peoples 
would  not  have  lighted  upon  it,  or  so  inflexibly  main- 
tained it ;  for  no  people  has  ever  adopted  an  accentual 
rhythm  without  also  adopting  rhyme,  which  only  in  weak 
and  indistinct  beginnings  makes  its  first  appearance,  and 
with  advancing  refinement,  poetical  cultivation,  and  per- 
fection of  language,  rises  to  its  highest  excellence.  It 
has  been  well  said,  that  rhyme,  well  managed,  is  one  of 
the  most  pleasing  of  all  inventions  for  entertaining  the 
mind — constantly  raising  expectation,  and  as  often  satis- 
fying it.  The  ear  anticipates  the  sound  without  knowing 
what  the  sound  would  express.  This  expectation  and  its 
gratification  are  a  constant  pleasure,  different  from  that 
conveyed  by  the  thought,  but  always  playing  about  it, 
and  in  harmony  with  it — like  music,  adorning  and  intensi- 
fying it.  It  is  hardly  to  be  believed  that  the  classical 
versification  could  be  native  or  vernacular  to  an)'  people, 
and  it  is  not  more  easy  to  believe,  that  if  it  had  been 
natural  to  the  Romans,  it  would  have  so  easily  retired 
before  that  rhythmical  versification  which  supplanted  it. 
Et  is  worthy  of  remark,  in  this  connection,  that  all  those 
peoples,  which  in  our  day  are  spoken  of  as  the  Latin  race, 
to  distinguish  them  from  the  Gothic  and  Sclavic  races 


VI 11  PREFACE. 

have  their  poetical  literature  characterized  by  rhythmical 
and  accentual  versification  ond  by  rhyme,  and  that  the 
metres  of  Virgil  and  Horace  and  Catullus  have  given 
place  to  rhyme  and  accent,  even  in  the  Italian  peninsula. 

Of  some  of  these  hymns  (some,  indeed,  which  have 
been  better  translated  by  others)  I  have  made  more 
than  one  translation.  Without  assigning  any  satisfac- 
tory reason  why  I  should  thus  be  willing  to  come  into 
comparison  with  others  of  established  reputation,  I  may 
say  that  the  reason  which  would  induce  me  to  make  one 
translation  might  well  induce  me  to  make  several — differ- 
ent tastes  being  gratified  by  various  forms  of  presenting 
the  same  thoughts.  As  to  the  translations  of  the  Dies 
Irce,  I  will  also  say  that  the  second  in  order  was  published 
many  years  ago,  before  the  thought  of  using  English 
double  rhyme  for  so  serious  a  purpose,  had  entered  my 
mind.  The  third  was  afterwards  written  in  double  rhyme, 
and,  finally,  the  other  was  the  result  of  an  attempt  to  use 
nothing  but  the  Gothic-English  language,  discarding  en- 
tirely the  use  of  Latin  derivatives.  This  one  being  more 
agreeable  to  my  taste,  I  have  given  it  the  first  place. 

All  these  early  Latin  hymns  were  written  before  the 
mvention  of  printing,  and  copies  were  often  taken  down 
from  memory  or  learned  from  oral  tradition,  which,  doubt- 
less, furnishes  the  reason  why,  sometimes,  one  or  more 
stanzas  are  omitted  in  some  copies,  and  why  the  arrange- 


PREFA  CE.  IX 

merit  of  the  stanzas  differs,  in  different  copies  of  the  same 
hymn.  I  have  followed  what  seemed  to  me  the  best 
authority  for  the  text,  and  I  have  not  hesitated  to  adopt 
the  arrangement  of  the  stanzas  which  seemed  to  me  the 
most  forcible  and  beautiful.  In  like  manner  I  have  also 
substituted  a  word  and  changed  the  arrangement  of  words 
in  a  line,  where  the  rhythm  so  plainly  demanded  it  as  to 
compel  the  belief  that  such  was  the  author's  arrange- 
ment. 

I  have  preceded  most  of  the  hymns  with  a  brief  sketch 
of  the  supposed  author,  or  a  sort  of  argument  of  the 
hymn,  or  brief  commentary  upon  it.  I  am,  however, 
far  from  believing  that  the  authorship  of  them  is  thus 
attributed  on  sufficient  evidence  in  all  cases.  There  is 
hardly  one  that  has  not  been  attributed,  with  equal  confi- 
dence, to  more  than  one  author,  and  there  are  few  of  them 
whose  authorship  can  be  considered  as  settled,  on  evidence. 

A  word  more  as  to  the  thread  by  which  these  hymns 
are  here  connected — so  slight  that,  perhaps,  it  might  not 
be  perceived,  unless  it  were  pointed  out.  The  Christian 
faith,  life,  and  hope,  founded  upon  the  being  and  attri- 
butes of  God ;  the  birth,  teachings,  sufferings,  death, 
resurrection,  ascension,  and  commemoration  of  our  Lord, 
and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  exhibited  in  the 
order  which  I  have  adopted,  while  the  doctrines  of  faith 
and  grace,  and  the  spirit  of  devotion,  animate  the  whole. 


X  PREFA  CE. 

The  careful  and  learned  remarks  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Wil- 
liams in  his  "Miscellanies,"  p.  72,  of  Dr.  Coles  in  his 
"Dies  Ira,"  of  Dr.  Schaff  in  his  "New  Stabat  Mater," 
of  Dr.  Neale  in  his  "Mediaeval  Hymns,"  and,  above  all, 
the  Preface,  Introduction,  and  notes  of  Archbishop 
Trench  in  his  "Sacred  Latin  Poetry,"  are  worthy  of 
careful  study  by  all  who  desire  to  be  informed  on  the 
subject  of  Latin  hymnology.  I  have  read  them  with 
the  greatest  interest,  and  have  borrowed  much  from  them, 
as  well  in  this  preface  as  elsewhere,  for  which  I  desire 
to  make  this  acknowledgment,  because  I  have  almost 
always  neglected  to  do  so  in  the  text  of  my  remarks. 


TABLE  OF  HYMNS. 


Alpha  et  ft,  magne  Deus     - 

Astant  angelorum  chori  • 

Apparebit  repentina  dies  magna  • 

Cur  mundus  militat 

Dies  IrcR,  dies  ilia       •         -         -        •         •  HO 

Ecquis  binas  columbinas          ...         -  58 

Gravi  me  terrore  pulnas       ... 

flceres  peccati,  natu.ro.  filius  irce        -                   -  100 

Heri  mundus  exultavit                  -         •         -  102 

Jam  moesta  quiesce  querela      ....  140 

Lauda,  Sion,  Salvatorem     -  92 

Pange,  lingua,  gloriosi 54 

Parendum  est,  cedendum  est         ...  132 

Portas  vestras  ceternales           ....  80 

Si  vis  vere  gloriari     -----  70 

Stabat  Mater  dolorosa 64 

Stabat  Mater  speciosa           ....  20 

Fern,  creator  Spiritus     -         -         -         -         -  41 

Vent,  sancte  Spirit  us  -         -         -         -         -  86 

Victims  Paschali  laudes  78 


INDEX. 


Abbey  of  St.  Victor,  98. 

Adam  of  St.  Victor,  76,  93. 

Agnes,  Mount  St.,  121. 

Alpha  ct  12,  Magne  Deus,  2. 

Ambrose,  42. 

Angel  choirs  on  high,  123. 

An  heir  of  sin,  101. 

Apparebit  repentina  dies,  34. 

Aquinas,  Thomas,  52,  75.  90. 

Ascension,  80. 

Astant  angelorum  chori,  122. 

At  the  last,  the  great  day,  35. 

Beautiful  his  mother  standing,  21. 

Beautiful  mother,  21. 

Bede,  32. 

Benedette,  18. 

Benedictis,  18. 

Bernard,  26. 

Bertin,  St.,  85. 

Be  still  the  voice,  141. 

Campen,  121. 

Celano,  Thomas  de,  109 

Charlemagne,  42. 

Christians,  raise,  79. 

Classical  versification.  74. 

Clichtoveus,  84,  85. 

Coles,  Dr.,  x. 

Comforter  denominated,  7. 

Come,  thou  Spirit,  50. 

Communion,  52,  90,  93. 

Contemptu  Mundi,  26,  28. 

Corona  spinea,  70. 

Crown  of  thorns,  70. 

Crucifixion,  58. 


Cur  mundus  militat.  18,  28. 

Cygnus  Exspirans.  127,  132. 

Damiani.  12(5. 

Day  of  death,  129. 

Day  of  judgment,  32,  35. 

Day  of  threatened  wrath,  111. 

Day  of  wrath,  that  final  (.lay,  116. 

Day  of  wrath.  118. 

De  die  judicii.  34. 

De  die  mortis,  127,  129. 

Deventer,  121. 

Deus,  12. 

Dies  Ira,  32,  108,  110,  116,  118. 

Doctor  Angelicus,  52. 

Doctor  Mellifluus,  43. 

Doctor  Mellitissimus,  43. 

Dramatic  hymn.  77. 

Dying  swan,  133. 

Easter  hymn,  74.  78. 

Ecquis  binas  columbinas,  58. 

Kpitaph  of  Adam,  100. 

Father.  3. 

Father,  God,  my  God,  3. 

Feckcnham,  r>:>. 

Fide?  orthodoxa,  1,  8. 

Fningipani,  75. 

Funeral  Hymn,  141. 

Giacomo,  18. 

Giacopone,  18. 

God,  13. 

Goethe,  108. 

Gravi  me  terrorc,  128. 

Grey,  Lady  Jnne.  53. 

Hseres  peccati,  100. 


INDEX. 


Xlll 


Hamerken,  121. 

Heaven,  15,  m. 

Heri  mundus.  102. 

Hermanns,  75,  84. 

Hilclcbert.  1,  2. 

Holy  Spirit.  6. 

Holy  Spirit  from  above.  ST. 

Imitation  of  Christ.  1  •_'  1 . 

I  must  obey,  133. 

In  exequiis,  140. 

Innocent  III.,  Pope,  8-1. 

Jacobus  de  Benedict  is,  18. 

Jacopone,  18. 

Jam  qniesce,  140. 

Joys  of  heaven,  12:>. 

Judgment,  32. 

Kempis,  Thomas  a,  121. 

Last  Supper,  52. 

Lavardin,  1. 

Lauda  Sion  salvatorem,  TO.  00,92. 

Lord's  Supper,  90. 

Malabruncu,  75. 

Mater  dolorosa,  18,  02.  90. 

Mater  speciosa,  18,  20. 

Milton,  vi. 

Mount  St.  Agnes,  121. 

Nate  Patri  coajqualis,  4. 

Nativity,  19. 

Neale,  Dr.,  x. 

Notker,  75.  85. 

Oh,  had  it  the  wings.  58. 

Oratio  ad  Filium,  4. 

Oratio  ad  Patrein,  2. 

Oratio  ad  Spiritum,  ('. 

Oratio  ad  Trinitatem.  2. 

Over-Yssel,  121. 

Pange  lingua  gloriosi,  5J.  •",  t.  90. 

Parendum  est,  132. 

Paracletus  increatus.  0. 

Passion,  58. 

Passover,  75. 

Pentecost,  42,  75,  84. 

Portas  vestras  icternales.  80. 


Proses,  74,  75. 
Prudentius.  138. 

Raise  the  everlasting  gates,  81. 
Real  presence,  53,  91. 
Resurrection.  78. 
Rhyme,  v.,  vi.,  vii.,  75,  TO. 
Rhythm,  vi.,  vii.,  74. 
Robert  II.,  75,  84. 
Sacrament.  52,  90,  91. 
Schaff.  Dr.,  x.,  19,  63. 
•equence,  Sequentia,  74. 
Sing,  my  tongue,  the  theme,  55. 
Sion,  14. 

Si  vis  vere  gloriari,  70. 
3on,  4. 

Spirit,  creative,  power  divine.  48. 
Spirit,  heavenly  life,  45. 
Spirit,  Holy,  6,  42  to  50,  84  to  87. 
Stabat  Mater  dolorosa,  G2,  99. 
Stabat  Mater  speciosa,  18,  19,  20. 
St.  Agnes,  Mount,  121. 
St.  Berlin,  85. 
Stephen,  99,  102. 
Thomas  Aquinas,  52. 
Thomas  of  Celano,  109. 
Thomas  a  Kempis,  121. 
Transubstantiation,  52. 
Trench,  x.,  26. 
Trinity.  1,  2,  122. 
Tuner,  26. 
Urban  IV.,  52. 

Veni,  creator  Spiritus,  42.  48,  50. 
Veni,  sancte  Spiritus,  84,  87. 
Victima?.  Paschali  laudes,  74,  78 
VicUr,  St.,  98. 
Walter  Scott,  108. 
Weeping  stood  his  mother,  G5. 
Why  does  the  world  serve.  29. 
Williams,  Dr.,  x. 
With  terror  thou  dost,  129. 
Wouldst  thy  spirit  glory,  71. 
Yesterday  the  world,  elated,  1 0:?. 
Zion,  praise  thine  interceder.  93. 


MEDI/EVAL  HYMNS 


HILDEBERT. 


HILDEBERT  BE  LAVARDiN  was  a  Frenchman.  He  was 
bora  in  1057  and  was  educated  in  the  highest  scholarship 
and  culture  of  his  time,  having  studied  under  Beranger 
and  St.  Hugh  of  Cluny  whose  life  he  wrote.  He  was 
consecrated  Bishop  of  Mans  in  1097,  and  in  1125  became 
Archbishop  of  Tours  and  was  one  of  the  great  ornaments 
of  the  French  Eoman  Catholic  Church.  All  the  authors 
of  that  period  speak  in  his  praise.  It  was  commonly  said 
of  him, 

Inclytus  et  prosa  versuque  per  omnla  primus, 
Hildebertus  olet  prorsus  ubique  rosain. 

His  Hymn  to  the  Trinity  is  every  way  worthy  of  him. 
It  is  characterized,  equally,  by  harmony  and  grace  and 
by  sententious  brevity.  Its  fullness  and  discrimination 
as  a  theological  essay  and  its  easy  and  familiar  use  of 
Scriptural  allusion,  are  quite  as  remarkable  as  its  gentle 
spirit  of  devotion  and  its  poetical  animation,  in  which  it 
has  been  said  to  equal  the  very  best  productions  which 
Latin  Christian  poetry  can  anywhere  boast. 

The  Poem  has  a  sort  of  epic  completeness  ;  its  Begin- 
ning— the  knowledge  of  God — Fides  orihodoxa — the  true 
creed,  as  to  the  Three  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity — ex- 
hibiting their  attributes,  as  the  foundation  of  the  Christian 
character ;  its  Middle — the  weakness,  the  trials  and  the 
temptations  of  the  Christian  life,  in  its  progress  to  perfect 
trust  and  confidence  in  God  and  assurance  of  His  final 
grace;  its  End — the  joys  and  glories  of  the  Heavenly 
Home  of  the  blessed. 

1 


HILDEBERTI    HYMNUS. 


ORATIO    DEVOTISSIMA 

AD    TRES    PERSONAS    SANCTISSIM.Z    TRINITATJS. 

AD    PATREM. 

Elpija  et  Q,  magne  2!eus ! 
lEli!  IEU!  Beus  rneug,— 
Cujus  birtus,  totum  posse; 
OTujus  gensusi,  totum  nosse; 
(Eujug  esse,  summum  tonum ; 
(JTuius  opus,  quicquto  tonum. 

Super  cuncta,  gutter  euncta ; 
ISitra  cuncta,  iutra  cuucta. 

Jntra  cuncta,  nee  tnclusus ; 
ISitra  cuncta,  nee  eiclusus ; 
Swper  cuncta,  nee  elatus ; 
gutter  cuncta,  nee  sutstratus. 

Super  totug,  pr^gitientJO ; 
Sutter  totug,  gustinentio ; 
iSxtra  totus,  complectentro ; 
Jntra  totus  es,  implentio. 

Jntra,  nunquam  coarctarig ; 


HYMN   OF   HILDEBERT. 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  THREE  PERSONS  OP  THE  MOST  HOLT 

TRINITY. 


TO  THE  FATHER. 

Father,  God,  my  God,  all  seeing ! 
Alpha  and  Omega  being — 
Thou  whose  power  no  limit  showeth 
Thou  whose  wisdom  all  things  knoweth, 
God  all  good  beyond  comparing — 
God  of  love  for  mortals  caring — 

Over,  under,  all  abounding, 
In  and  out  and  all  surrounding — 

Inside  all,  yet  not  included, 
Outside  all,  yet  not  excluded, 
Over  all,  yet  not  elated, 
Under  all,  yet  not  abated — 

Thou  above — Thy  power  ordaining — 
Thou  beneath — Thy  strength  sustaining — 
Thou  without — the  whole  embracing — 
Thou  within — Thy  fullness  gracing. 

Thee  within,  no  power  constraineth — 


HILDEBERTI  HYMNUS. 

iB:rtra,  nunquam  trilataris. 
,  nullo  sustentaris  ; 
,  nullo  fattgaris. 

mobens,  non  moberts; 
Hocum  tenens,  non  tenens  ; 
&emu?3  mutant,  non  mutarts  ; 

firmans,  non  bagaris. 
te  eiterna,  bei  necesse, 
alternat  tuum  esse. 
ri  nostrum,  eras  et  pritrem, 
emper  titt  nunc  et  ttrem. 
,  lieus,  ijotuernum 
Sntitbisum,  semptternum  ; 
Jn  ijoc,  totum  pra^bitjistt, 
^Totum  simul  perfedsti 
&b  templar  summa^  mentis, 
.iformam  pra^stans  elementis. 


AD    FILIUM. 


i^ate,  ^atrt  co^qualis, 

Satri  eonsutstantialis, 
atrts  splentror,  et  figura, 
jfaetor  Cactus  creatura, 
(Earnem  nostram  intiutsti, 
(tfausam  nostram  susceptstt, 
Semptternus,  temporalis; 
fftoriturus,  immortalts  ; 
^erus  ijomo,  berus  Bcus  ; 
impermtxtus 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT.  • 

Thou  without,  no  freedom  gaineth — 
Over  all,  Thee  none  sustaineth, 
Under  all,  no  burden  paineth. 

Moving  all,  no  change  Thou  knowest — 
Holding  fast,  Thou  freely  goest 
Changing  time,  Thou  art  unchanging 
Thou  the  fickle  all  arranging. 
Force  and  fate  whichever  showing 
Are  but  footsteps  of  Thy  going, 
Past  and  future  to  us,  ever 
Are  to  Thee  but  now  forever. 
Thy  to-day,  with  Thee  abiding 
Endless  is,  no  change  dividing — 
Thou,  in  it,  at  once  foreseeing 
All  things,  by  Thee  perfect  being, 
Like  the  plan  Thy  mind  completed, 
When  creation  first  was  meted 

TO  THE  SON. 

Son,  the  Father's  equal  ever, 
From  His  substance  changing  never, 
Like  in  brightness  and  in  feature, 
Though  creator,  still  a  creature, 
Thou  our  human  body  worest 
Our  redemption  too  Thou  borest 

Endless,  still  Thy  time  declaring, 
Deathless,  though  Thy  death  prepanng, 
Man,  and  God,  divided  never, 
Thoii  Man-God,  unmixed  forever, 


HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 

conbersus  ijic  in  carnem, 
lec  minutus  propter  carnem ; 
assumptus  est  in  Beum, 
consumptus  propter  Beum; 
t  eompar  tiettate, 
carnte  beritate. 
pater  tantum  Bet, 
mater  e^t,  seti  Bet. 
Jn  tarn  noba  ligatura 
C  utraque  stat  natura, 
conserbet  (|titcquttj  erat, 
4facta  ciuitJtiam  quotr  non  erat, 

poster  tste  ifteluator, 
Jiste  noster  legis  tiator ; 
(tftreumeisus,  tapti^atus, 
(JTrucitosi,  tumuiatus, 
©trtiormtbit,  et  tiescentrtt, 
it,  et  ascenfctt ; 
atr  ccelogi  elebatus, 
jutitcatus. 

AD    SPIRITUM. 

^aradetus,  mcreatus, 
eque  factug,  neque  natus, 
atrt  censors  genitoque, 
ic  procetut  at  utroque, 
sit  minor  potentate, 
tiscretus  qualitatc. 
<&uanti  uu,  tantus  iste ; 


HYMN  OF  HILL E BERT. 

God  is  not  to  flesh,  converted, 
Nor  by  flesh  the  God  perverted — 
God  in  human  form  appearing, 
Never  human  weakness  fearing — 
With  the  Father  equal  being 
Fleshly  weakness  disagreeing, 
God  the  God  begetting  solely, 
Virgin  both  conceiving  wholly. 

In  this  union,  thus  created, 
Both  the  natures  there  are  mated, 
Each  its  own  existence  taking, 
Both  a  new  existence  making. 

He,  alone  our  Intercede!', 
Our  Lawgiver  and  our  Leader, 
He  the  law  and  Gospel  heeded, 
To  the  cross  and  grave  proceeded, 
There  He  slept  and  there  descended, 
There  He  rose  and  then  ascended. 
Judged  on  earth — in  heaven  He  liveth, 
And  the  world  its  judgment  giveth. 

TO  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 

Comforter,  denominated, 
Never  born  and  not  created, 
Both  the  Son  and  Father  knowing — 
Spirit  from  them  both  outgoing, 
Thus  in  power  their  equal  being 
And  in  quality  agreeing, 
Great  as  they,  He  still  rernaineth, 


HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 

<®uales  tilt,  talis  iste  ; 
IE*  quo  tilt,  ex  tune  iste; 
(Quantum  illi,  tantum  iste. 

^ater  alter,  seti  gignenfco  ; 
flatus  alter,  setr  naseenfco  ; 
jFiamen,  at  ijtg  procefcenfco  ; 
foes  sunt  unum,  sutstetenlro. 
^uispe  trtum  glenus  23eug; 
jjion  tres  tamen  Bi,  setr 
Jn  ijoe  Beo,  3ieo  berti, 
3Tres  et  unum  assebero  ; 
Bans  usta;  unitatem, 
3Et  perscmts  trinitatem. 

Jn  versonis,  nulla  prior, 
Jiulla  major,  nulla  minor; 
Slnaqueeciue  semper  tpsa, 
est  eonstans  atque  fixa, 
nee  in  se  bartetur, 
in  ulla  transmutetur. 


est  fites  ortfjotroza, 
i)ie  error  sine  no*a, 
titeo,  sic  et  ereoo, 
in  prabam  partem  eetio  : 
Jntre  benit,  tone  lieus, 
fit  tresperem,  quambis  reus, 
liieus  mortis,  non  tiespero, 
in  morte  bitam  quarro. 
te  plaeem,  nil  pnetenlro 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT. 

All  their  goodness,  he  retaineth, 
With  them  from  the  first  existing, 
All  their  power  in  him  subsisting. 

Father  He  begetting  showeth, 
Son,  from  human  birth  He  groweth, 
Spirit,  from  them  both  outflowing, 
They  are  one,  the  Godhead  showing. 
Each  is  God,  in  fullness  ever, 
All  are  God  and  three  Gods  never. 
In  this  God,  true  'God  completing, 
Three  in  one,  are  ever  meeting, 
Unity  in  substance  showing, 
Trinity  in  persons  knowing. 

Of  the  persons  none  is  greater, 
Neither  less  and  neither  later, 
Each  one  still  itself  retaining, 
Fixed  and  constant  still  remaining, 
In  itself  no  variation, 
Neither  change,  nor  transmutation. 

This  is  true  faith,  for  our  keeping. 
Error  bringeth  sin  and  weeping — 
As  I  teach  it,  I  believe  it, 
Nor  for  other  will  I  leave  it. 
Trusting  Lord  thy  goodness  ever 
Though  I  sin,  I  hope  forever. 
Worthy  death,  but  not  despairing, 
By  my  death,  my  life  preparing. 
When  I  please  thee,  nothing  showing 


IO  HlLDEBER.ll  HTMNUS. 

Jiisi  titrem  quam  ostentio. 
Jfitrem  bitres,— Ijanc  implore, 
ILeba  fascem  quo  latoro  ; 
|Jer  ijoc  sacrum  cataplasma 
(fconbaleseat  &cjrum  plasma. 
iEitra  portam  jam  fcelatum, 
Jam  fcetentem,  tumulatum, 
Uttta  Ugat,  lapis  tirget ; 
S^tJ  si  jutes,  ijic  resurget. 
Jube!  lapis  rebolbetur, 
Jute!  bitta  tjirumpetur;— 
^xiturus  nescit  moras, 
^ostquam  clamas  <(IExi  foras!" 

Jn  ijoc  salo,  mea  ratis 
Jnfestatur  a  piratis: 

assultus,  intie  ftuctus; 
et  intre,  mors  et  luctus; 
tu,  tone  nauta,  bent; 
bentos,  mare  leni; 
atseetant  Iji  pirate, 
atr  portum,  salba  rate. 
Jnfteeunira  mea  ficus ; 
(ftujus  ramus,  ramus  siccus, 
JnciTretur,  incentretur, 
g>i  promulgas  quotr  meretur. 
g>rtj  l)oc  anno  mmittatur, 
Stercoretur,  fofciatur; 
(Jluotr  si  nectium  respontietit,— 
J^lens  ijoc  loquor,— tune  artietit. 


1IYMN  OF  HILDEBERT.  I  I 

But  the  faith  on  Thee  bestowing. 
Hear  my  prayer,  my  faith  perceiving, 
From  my  burden,  me  relieving — 
Here,  my  sickness  now  revealing, 
Let  Thy  med'cine  be  my  healing. 

Now,  without  the  city  taken, 
Dead,  offensive  and  forsaken, 
Grave  clothes  bind,  the  stone  confineth — 
At  Thy  word  the  grave  resigneth— 
Speak  !  the  stone  away  is  rolling — 
Speak !  the  shroud  no  more  controlling — 
When  "  Come  forth"  Thy  summons  sayeth, 
Then  at  once  the  dead  obeyeth. 

On  this  sea  of  troubles  resting 
Pirates  are  my  bark  infesting — 
Strifes,  temptations,  billows  sweeping, 
Everywhere  are  death  and  weeping, 
Come,  Good  Pilot,  calm  proclaiming, 
Hush  the  winds,  the  billows  taming, 
Drive  these  pirates  to  their  hiding, 
Safe  to  port  my  vessel  guiding. 

My  unfruitful  fig  tree  growing, 
Dry  and  withered  branches  showing, 
Should'st  Thou  judge,  the  truth  discerning, 
Thou  would'st  give  unto  the  burning — 
But  another  season  bless  it, 
Dig  about  it,  Lord,  and  dress  it, 
If  it  then  no  fruit  returneth, 
I  will  praise  Thee  while  it  burneth. 


1  2  HILDEBER  TI  HYMNUS. 


Ijostte  in  me  furit, 
Equte  mersat,  ftammis  ttrit; 
Jutrc  languens,  et  aflltctug, 
soli  sum  relictus. 

infirmus  conbalescat, 

Ijtc  ijogttgi  ebanescat, 

birtutem  jejunantit, 
infirmo,  tres  orantri; 

ija^c  Truo,  (Eijrisito  teste, 
Hiteratot  ab  Ijac  peste* 
&t  ftac  peste  soibe  mentem, 
Jpac  tjebotum,  ptenitentem; 
®a  timorem,  quo  projects, 
Be  salute  nil  conjecto; 

fitrem,  spem,  caritatem; 

^tscretam  ptetatem; 

contemptum  terrenorum, 
Eppetitum  supernotum. 


Beus,  in  te  gpero, 
ea:  te  totum  qu^ro;— 

laus  mea,  meum  tonum; 
Hflea  cuncta  tuum  tronum. 
5Tu  solamen  in  lafcore; 
Wetiicamen  in  languore; 

in  luctu  mea  lj)ta, 

lenimen  es  in  ira; 

in  arcto  liberator; 

in  lapsu  relebator: 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT. 

Me  the  Evil  one  possessing, 
Flames  and  floods  by  turns  oppressing, 
Feeble,  sick  and  helpless  lying, 
To  thy  grace,  my  soul  is  flying. 
That  my  weakness  all  may  vanish, 
Thou  the  evil  spirit  banish. 
Teach  me  Lord,  my  weakness  staying, 
Grace  of  fasting  and  of  praying, 
This  alone,  the  Savior  telleth, 
Such  a  demon  e'er  expelleth. 
Thou  my  sickened  sense  restoring — 
Faith  and  penitence  imploring — • 
Give  me  fear  which,  once  ejected, 
Leaves  salvation  all  perfected. 
Faith  and  hope  and  love  conferring, 
Give  me  piety,  unerring, 
Earthly  joys  forever  spurning. 
Heavenward  still  my  footsteps  turning. 

God,  in  Thee,  all  things  desiring, 
From  Thee,  every  thing  requiring — 
Thou  my  praise,  my  good  abiding, 
All  I  have,  Thy  gift  providing — 
In  fatigue,  Thy  solace  feeling, 
In  my  sickness,  Thou  my  healing, 
Thou,  my  harp,  my  grief  assuaging, 
Thou  who  soothest  all  my  raging, 
Thou  who  freest  my  enthralling, 
Thou  who  raisest  me  when  falling, 


14  HILDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 

fftotum  praestas  in  probeetu; 
Spent  eonserbas  in  fcefeetu; 
g>i  quis  I^trit,  tu  repentris; 
£>i  minatur  tu  fcefentris; 

est  aneeps,  tu  Irissolbis; 
tegentium,  tu  i 
tntraxe  me  non 
offi'cinas, 

t  moeror,  uti  metus; 
t  frctor,  utifletus; 
i  protta  fceteguntur, 
i  rei  confuntuntur, 
i  tortor  semper 
i  bermtg  semper  efcens;— 
i  totum  ijoc  perenne, 
<!|uia  perpes  mors  geijenn^e. 


reeeptet  Sion  ilia, 
Babto  urts  trancjuilla, 
fafter,  auctor  lucts; 
port^,  lignum  cructe; 
clabes,  lingua  ^etri; 
cibes,  semper  l£eti; 
(ffujus  muri,  lapis  bibus; 
Cujus  custos,  Hex  festibus. 
Jn  1)ac  urte,  lux  solemnis; 
Uer  sternum,  pax  perennis  ; 
i)ac,  otior  implens  ctelos, 
ijac,  semper  festum  melos. 


HYMN  OF  H1LDEBERT. 

'Tis  Thy  grace  my  footsteps  guideth 
Strengthening  hope,  when  it  subsideth. 
None  would  hurt,  but  Thou  forefendest, 
Who  may  threaten,  Thou  defendest, 
What  is  doubtful,  Thou  revealest, 
What  is  myst'ry,  Thou  concealest. 

Never,  Lord,  with  Thy  permission, 
Let  me  enter  in  perdition, 
Where  is  fear  and  where  is  wailing, 
Shame  and  weeping  unavailing, 
Every  loathsome  thing  displaying, 
In  confusion,  disarraying, 
Where  the  fierce  tormentor  lieth, 
And  the  worm  that  never  dieth, 
Where  this  endless  woe,  infernal, 
Maketh  death  and  hell  eternal. 

Let  me  be  in  Sion  save*d, 
Sion,  peaceful  home  of  David, 
Built  by  Him,  the  light  who  maketh, 
And  the  cross  for  portals  taketh — 
And  for  keys  the  welcome  given 
By  the  joyful  saints  in  Heaven — 
Walls  of  living  stone  erected, 
By  the  Prince  of  joy  protected — 
Where  the  light,  that  God  is  sending, 
Endless  spring  and  peace  are  blending. 
Perfume,  every  breeze  is  bearing, 
Festive  strains  the  joy  declaring. 


l6  HJLDEBERTI  HTMNUS. 

Jlou  est  ii)i  corruptela, 
j^on  fcefectus,  nou  querela, 
i^on  mtnutt,  nou  treformes,— 
©mites  OHjristo  stunt  conformesi. 

nelestte!  uri)s  teata! 
petram  collocata;- 
in  portu  satis  tuto, 
lie  ionginquo,  te  saluto;- 
&e  saluto,  te  susptro, 
5Te  af  ecto,  te  require. 

Quantum  tui  gratulantur, 
<&uam  festibe  conbibantur; 
Quis  affectus  eos  stringat, 
Eut  qua^  gemma  muros  pingat, 
Quis  cijalcetion,  quis  |acgnti)us,— 
^torunt  illi  qui  sunt  intus. 

Jn  plateis  Ijujus  urMs, 
Sociatus  piis  turbis, 
Cum  J&ogse  et  ISlija 
cantem  f^alleluta! 


HYMN  OF  HILDEBERT.  I  7 

No  corruption  there  appeareth, 
None  defect,  or  sorrow  feareth, 
None  deformed  or  dwarfed  remaining, 
All  the  form  of  Christ  retaining. 

Heavenly  City !  happy  dwelling ! 
Built  upon  that  stone  excelling. 
City  safe  in  heavenly  keeping 
Hail !  in  distant  glory  sleeping ! 
Thee  I  hail,  for  thee  am  sighing — 
Thee  I  love,  for  thee  am  dying. 

How  thy  heavenly  hosts  are  singing — 
And  their  festive  voices  ringing — 
What  the  love  their  souls  conforming — 
What  the  gems  the  walls  adorning— 
Chalcedon  and  jacinth  shining 
Know  they  all,  those  walls  confining. 

In  that  City's  glorious  meeting, 
Moses  and  Elias  greeting — 
Holy  prophets  gone  before  us — 
Let  me  sing  the  heavenly  chorus. 


i8 


JACOBUS  DE  BENEDICTIS. 


JACOBUS  »E  BENEDICTIS.,  sometimes  called  Giacomo 
da  Todi,  sometimes  Giacomo  de  Benedetti,  but  more  fre- 
quently Giacopone,  or  Jacopone,  was  an  Italian  lawyer, 
of  the  noble  family  of  the  Benedetti,  at  Todi.  The  sudden 
death  of  his  wife  at  the  Theatre,  impressed  him  so  power- 
fully, that  he  abandoned  his  successful  practice  of  the 
law,  sold  what  he  had  and  gave  it  to  the  poor,  and  joined 
the  then  young  and  popular  order  of  the  Franciscans  and 
devoted  himself  to  a  life  of  religious  austerity.  He  was 
extravagant  and,  if  not  insane,  was  sometimes  ridiculous 
in  his  conduct — in  the  language  of  his  epitaph  "Stultus 
propter  Christum."  He  attacked  with  great  severity  the 
priestly  abuses  of  his  time,  for  which  he  suffered  a  living 
martyrdom,  in  the  prisons  of  a  bad  pope,  from  which  he 
was  finally  released.  The  date  of  his  birth  is  unknown. 
He  died  on  Christmas  day,  1306,  at  a  great  age. 

The  three  poems  which  I  have  embraced  in  this  volume, 
as  his,  the  Mater  Speciosa,  the  Mater  Dolorosa  and  the 
Cur  Mundus,  if  correctly  attributed  to  him,  fully  estab- 
lish his  rank  as  a  poet  of  the  greatest  merit — and  one  of 
them,  the  Stabat  Mater  Dolorosa,  has  been  admired  be- 
yond any  other  Latin  Hymn,  except  the  unapproachable 
Dies  Tree.  The  Mater  Speciosa,  is  here  placed  before  the 
Mater  Dolorosa,  not  because  I  suppose  with  Dr.  Neale  that 
it  was  the  first  written,  as  I  do  not,  but  because,  in  the 


JA  COB  US  DE  BENEDICTIS.  1 9 

arrangement  which  I  have  adopted,  a  Hymn  of  the  Nativity 
should  precede  one  of  the  Passion.  If  it  had  stood  alone, 
or  even  had  it  been  the  first  written,  it  would  not  have 
been  left  to  our  day  to  announce  its  beauties.  It  seems 
to  me  to  bear  to  the  Mater  Dolorosa,  something  like  the 
relation  of  a  copy  to  an  original,  and  thus  the  excellence 
and  freshness  of  the  original  may  have  kept  out  of  sight  the 
copy,  with  all  its  merit,  until  recent  discovery  has  placed 
it  by  the  side  of  its  more  distinguished  sister — if  indeed 
they  be  by  the  same  author.  It  is  not  impossible  that  the 
original  of  the  two  may  have  been  written  by  one  of  the 
eminent  men,  earlier  than  Jacopone,  to  whom  it  has  been 
attributed  and  that  the  other  was  but  a  later  imitation. 

Those  early  monks  and  priests  who  were  really  devoted 
to  religion  for  its  own  sake  and  who  lived  ages  before  the 
art  of  printing,  had  but  few  books  and  of  those  the  Bible 
was  the  chief,  and  their  study  of  it  gave  them  the  famili- 
arity with  its  sacred  words,  which  is  so  conspicuous  in 
their  writings.  In  this  poem,  Jacopone  while  he  fully  per- 
ceives and  presents  the  poetical  character  of  the  scene, 
weaves  into  his  verse,  even  more  than  in  the  Mater 
Dolorosa,  all  the  striking  incidents  which  the  Sacred 
Record  details  as  part  of  the  wonderful  story,  and  all  are 
enlivened  by  touches  of  nature  which  are  as  charming  as 
they  are  truthful. 

I  am  indebted  to  an  interesting  article,  by  Dr.  Schaff, 
under  the  title  "A  New  Stabat  Mater"  in  the  "Hours at 
Home"  for  May  1867,  for  my  first  sight  of  this  poem. 
It  contains  a  translation  by  Neale. 


STABAT    MATER   SPECIOSA. 


g?tabat  Jftater  spcctosa 
Suzta  fcrnum  gautuoaa, 

23um  jacebat  parbuius— 
<£ujus  animam  gautrentem, 
Haetafjuntram  ac  ferbentem, 

IJcrtranstbit  jubtlus. 
©  qtiam  l£eta  et  teata 
Jputt  ijaec  tmmaculata, 

Heater  Bntgeniti! 
<!|u£e  gautretat  et  rttiefjat, 
i&iultabat,  cum  bttretat 
i^tatt  partum  tnclgti. 

Jam  est,  qut  non  gautreret 

matrem  si  btoeret 
tanto  solatto? 
non  posset  coHtetari, 
i  matrem  contemplatt, 
Hutientem  cum  filto  ? 
peccatts  suaj  gcntis, 
firt!8tum  bititt  cum  jumentts 
iBt  algort  subiutum— 


21 


BEAUTIFUL  MOTHER  BY  THE  MANGER 


Beautiful,  his  mother,  standing 
Near  the  stall — her  soul  expanding — 

Saw  her  new-born  lying  there — 
In  her  soul,  new  joy  created, 
And  with  holy  love  elated, 

Rapture  glorifying  her. 
She,  her  God -begotten  greeting, 
Felt  her  spotless  bosom  beating, 

With  a  new  festivity — 
Holy  joy,  her  bosom  warming — 
Radiant  smiles  her  face  conforming — 

At  her  Son's  nativity. 
Who  could  fail  to  see  with  pleasure, 
Christ's  dear  mother,  without  measure 

Such  a  joy  expressing  there — 
Thus  a  mother's  care  beguiling, 
Thus  beside  the  manger  smiling, 

Her  dear  Son  caressing  there  ? 
For  the  trespass  of  his  nation, 
Suffering  now  humiliation, 

Chilling  with  the  cattle  there — 


22  STAB  AT  MATER  SPECIOSA. 

^Tftrit  suum  trulcem  natum, 
Uagientem,  attoratum, 
tiiberisorio. 
OTIjrteto  in  pr&sepe, 
ctbes  canunt  l&te 
<£um  tmmensio  gautito— 
genea;  cum  puella, 
cum  berto  ncc  loquela, 
Stupe^centesi  cortritus. 
iEia  mater,  Cons  amorte, 
iftfle  ^entire  bim  artroris, 
4fac  ut  tecum  senttam! 
jpac  ut  artieat  cor  meum 
5n  amatum  atijristum  J9eum 

5Et  sitt  complaceam. 
g>ancta  mater,  tetutr  agas, 
prone  introtrucas  plagas 

OIortH  nxas  balttie. 
5Cui  nati  ccelo  lapsi, 
Jam  titgnatt  fteno  nasci, 
^anas  mecum  trtbitre. 
jfac  me  bere  congautrere, 
Jesultno  co^rere 

IBonec  ego  bixero. 
Jn  me  stetat  artror  tut— 
^uertno  fac  me  frut 

Bum  ^um  in  r.vtlio. 
f^unc  artiorem  fac  communem, 
me  facias  immunem 
ijoc  tresitrerio. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL  MOTHER  BY  THE  MAXGEK.      2  3 

Wise  men  knelt  where  he  was  lying, 
Still  she  saw  her  dear  one  crying, 

In  a  cheerless  tavern  there. 
Saviour,  cradled  in  a  manger ! 
Angels  hail  the  heavenly  stranger, 

In  their  great  felicity — 
Virgin  and  her  husband  gazing, 
Speechless,  saw  the  sight,  amazing, 

Of  so  great  a  mystery. 
Fount  of  love,  beyond  concealing ! 
May  the  love  which  thou  art  feeling, 

Fill  my  heart,  unceasingly — 
Let  my  heart  like  thine  be  glowing — • 
Holy  love  of  Jesus  knowing, 

And,  with  thee,  in  sympathy. 
Holy  mother,  for  him  caring, 
Let  the  ills  thy  Son  is  bearing, 

Touch  my  heart,  indelibly— 
Of  thy  Son,  from  Heaven  descended, 
In  a  stable,  born  and  tended, 

Share  with  me  the  penalty. 
With  thee,  all  thy  love  dividing, 
Be  my  soul  in  Christ  abiding, 

While  this  life  enchaineth  me. 
May  thy  love,  my  bosom  warming. 
Make  my  soul  to  his  conforming, 

While  exile  detaineth  me. 
Let  my  love  with  thine  still  blending, 
Be  for  Jesus  never  ending, 

Nothing  e'er  restraining  me. 


24  STAB  AT  MATER  SPECIOSA. 


btrginum  pr^dara, 

am  non  #i$  amara, 

me  parbum  rapere, 

jpac  tit  puldjrum  fantem  portcw, 

nascenltto  btcit  mortem 
17olens  bitam  tratrere. 
me  tecum  gattari, 
me  inebriart, 
Stantem  in  trtputito. 
Jnftammatus;  et  accensug, 
(©bstupegctt  omnts  census 
Call  tie  commetdo. 

stabulum  amantes, 

btgilantesai 

^ernoctantes  soctant. 
birtutem  nati  tui 
tit  electi  sui 
patriam  beniant. 
me  nato  eustotJiri, 
IJerbo  Bet  pmunirt, 
gratia— 
<®uanlio  eorpus  morietur, 
tit  anim&  tronetur 
nati  bi^io. 


THE  BEAUTIFUL  MOTHER  BY  THE  MANGER,      - 

Virgin,  first  in  virgin  beauty  ! 
Let  me  share  thy  love  and  duty — 

Clasping,  with  fidelity, 
That  dear  child,  who  for  us  liveth, 
By  his  birth,  for  death,  who  giveth 

Life  and  immortality. 
With  thee,  let  me,  thrilled  with  pleasure, 
Feel  his  love,  beyond  all  measure, 

In  a  sacred  dance  with  thee — 
With  a  holy  zeal  excited, 
Every  ravished  sense  delighted 

In  a  holy  trance  with  thee. 
All  who  love  this  sacred  manger, 
Every  watching  shepherd  stranger, 

All,  at  night,  who  come  with  him — 
By  thy  Son's  dear  intercession, 
May  his  chosen  take  possession 

Of  his  heavenly  home  with  him. 
By  thy  holy  Son  attended — 
By  the  word  of  God  defended — 

By  his  grace  forgiving  me — 
When  my  mortal  frame  is  perished, 
May  my  soul,  above  be  cherished — 

Thy  dear  Son  receiving  me. 


26 


DB  CONTEMPTU  MUNDL 

CUR   MUNDUS   MILITAT. 

Tuis  poem  is  but  an  expansion  of  this  gospel  truth, 
"  All  flesh  is  as  grass  and  all  the  glory  of  man  as  the  flower 
"of  grass.  The  grass  withereth  and  the  flower  thereof 
"  fadeth  away,  but  the  "Word  of  the  Lord  endure th  for- 
"ever."  It  is  now  generally  attributed  to  Jacopone 
(ante,  p.  18).  Up  to  a  few  years  since  it  was  as  gen- 
erally attributed  to  St.  Bernard.  Tusser  translated  it  three 
hundred  years  ago,  calling  it  "St.  Barnard's  Verses." 
He  however  gives  but  eight  stanzas,  omitting  the  fourth 
and  the  tenth,  and  they  are  not  arranged  as  they  are  in 
the  copy  given  by  Trench.  Daniel  arranges  the  stanzas 
in  still  another  manner  and  omits  the  third.  I  have  cop- 
ied from  Trench,  but  have  adopted  still  another  arrange- 
ment, as  better  exhibiting  the  spirit  of  the  poem.  I  have 
also  ventured  to  transpose  two  words  for  the  sake  of  the 
rhythm,  reading  Magis  credendum  est,  instead  of  Creden- 
dum  magis  est.  Omissions,  errors  in  arrangement,  and 
false  notions  of  authorship,  could  not  fail  to  be  common, 
before  the  art  of  printing,  especially  in  small  poems, 
which  passed  from  one  to  another  by  oral  repetition  and 
by  manuscript  copies,  made  often  by  persons  who  had 
neither  skill  nor  care  in  copying. 

The  following  is  Tusser's  translation : 


DE  CUNTEMPTU  MUNDL  1J 

"  Why  so  triumphs  the  "World,  in  pomp  and  glory  vain. 
Whose  state  so  happy  thought,  so  fickle  doth  remain  9 
Whose  bravery  so  slippery  stands,  and  doth  so  soon 

decay, 

As  doth  the  potter's  pan,  compact  of  brittle  clay. 
More  credit  see  thou  give,  to  letters  wrote  in  ice, 
Than  unto  vain  deceits,  of  brittle  world's  device, 
In  gifts  to  virtue  due,  beguiling  many  one, 
Yet  those  same  never  have,  long  time  to  hope  upon. 
To  false  dissembling  men,  more  trust  is  to  be  had, 
Than  to  the  prosperous  state  of  wretched  world  so  bad. 
What  with  voluptuousness,  and  other  maddish  toys, 
False  studies  won  with  pain,  false  vanities  and  joys. 
Tell  where  is  Salomon,  that  once  so  noble  was  ? 
Or  where  now  Samson  is,  in  strength  whom  none 

could  pass  ? 

Or  worthy  Jonathas,  that  prince  so  lovely  bold  ? 
Or  fair  Absalom,  so  goodly  to  behold  ? 
Shew  whither  is  Caesar  gone,  that  conquered  far  and 

near? 

Or  that  rich  famous  carl,  so  given  to  belly  cheer  ? 
Shew  where  is  Tully  now,  for  eloquence  so  fit  ? 
Or  Aristoteles,  of  such  a  pregnant  wit  ? 

0  thou  fit  bait  for  worms  1  0  thou  great  heap  of  dust ! 
0  dew !  0  vanity  !  why  so  extoll'st  thy  lust  ? 
Thou  therefore  ignorant,  what  time  thou  hast  to  live, 
Do  good  to  every  man,  while  here  thou  hast  to  give. 
How  short  a  feast  (to  count)  is  this  same  world's  re- 
nown ? 

Such  as  men's  shadows  be,  such  joy  it  brings  to  town, 
Which  always  plucketh  us  from  God's  eternal  bliss, 
And  leadeth  man  to  hell,  a  just  reward  of  his. 

The  bravery  of  this  world,  esteemed  here  so  much, 
In  Scripture  likened  is  to  flowers  of  grass  and  such, 
Like  as  the  leaf  so  light,  which  wind  abroad  doth 

blow, 
So  doth  this  worldly  life,  the  life  of  man  bestow." 


DE  CONTEMPTU   MUNDI. 


<£ur  munfcug  militat  0ufc  bana  gloria, 
(ftujug  prosperitas  est  transitoria  ? 
Jam  eito  latitur  ejus  potentia, 
<®uam  basa  figuli,  qua^  suut  fragttia. 


fitie  Itteris  sctiptis  in  glacie, 
<®uam  muntii  fragiitsi  ban$  fallacia^, 
jrallax  in  pt^miis,  btrtutte  specie, 
(Jlui  nunt|uam  Ijatuit  tempug 


cretrentrum  egt  birte  fallacituu, 
muntri  misetig  ptosperitatfous, 

nganiig  et  banitatitus, 
Jf  alsisque  stutute  et  boluptatitug. 


clari  proceteg,  tot  return  gpatia, 
ora  praegulutn,  tot  regna  fortia, 
Sot  muntji  principes,  tanta  potentia, 
ictu  oculi,  elautjuntur  omnia. 


Btc,  uf)i  Salomon,  olim  tarn  noMlte, 
l^el  uti  g»amgon  e8t,  trux  inbtncitilig, 
17el  pulcjjer  glfcsalom,  bultu  miratilig, 
trulcig  Jonatijag,  multum 


CONTEMPT  OF  THE  WORLD. 


Why  does  the  world  serve  the  glory  it  cherisheth, 
Since  its  prosperity  all  surely  perisheth, 
Passing  away  with  its  strength  and  ability, 
Quickly  as  pottery,  with  its  fragility  ? 

Think  that  a  record  on  ice  may  be  permanent, 
More  than  the  fallacies  under  the  firmament, 
False  in  rewards,  without  virtue  or  verity, 
Never  the  world  hath  a  time  for  sincerity. 

Far  better  trust  men  of  falsehood,  deceiving  thee, 
Than  the  vain  world  that  forever  is  giving  thee 
Pleasures  that  vanish  and  foolish  insanities, 
Studies  delusive  and  perishing  vanities. 

Nobles  and  prelates,  in  all  ages  flourishing- 
Pride  and  dominion  and  vainglory  nourishing — 
Kings  of  the  earth,  with  their  power  and  stability- 
All,  at  a  glance,  show  the  end  of  nobility. 

Where  now  is  Solomon,  learned  and  glorious  ? 
Where  now  is  Samson,  so  strong  and  victorious  ? 
Where,  too,  is  Absalom,  princely  and  beautiful  ? 
Jonathan,  loving  and  lovely  and  dutiful? 


DE  CONTEMPTU  MUNDI. 


(Quo  <£a>sar  atiit,  celsus  impcrio, 
Vel  IMbesspleiUuous,  totus  in  pranlrio? 
3Dtc,  utt  <Eullius,  clarus  clopio, 
17el  Eustoteles,  summus  ingenio  ? 


trebe  festum  est  ija^c  muntJt  gloria! 
umtra  ijominis,  sic  ejus  gautita, 
a^  gempec  siuttraijunt  sterna  pr 
trucunt  Ijominem  ati  tiura  tiebia. 


betmium !  ©  massa  pulberis ! 
ros,  (©  banitas,  cur  sic  ejctolleris  ? 


Sgnorans  penitus,  utrum  eras  bimis, 
,jfac  tonum  omnitws,  quamtriu  potcris, 


carnis  gloria,  qua^  tanti  pentittur, 
3acris  in  literis,  flos  fteni  tricttur- 
lebe  folium,  quoti  bento  rapitur, 
bita  Ijominis  luci  sufctraljitur. 


tuum  tiixerisi  quptr  potes  pertere, 
muntiuis  tritwit,  intentiit  rapere— 

cogita,  cor  sit  in  ^tijcre, 
jf  cli*,  qui  potuit  muntium  contcmnrre  ! 


CONTEMPT  OF  THE  WORLD.  3  I 

Where  now  is  Caesar,  so  proud  and  imperious  ? 
Dives  the  sumptuous,  rich  and  luxurious  ? 
Say,  where  is  Cicero,  famous  and  eloquent? 
Where  Aristotle,  in  genius  preeminent? 

World  of  vainglory,  a  vanishing  festival ! 
How  like  the  shadows  pass  pleasures  terrestrial ! 
Robbing  the  soul  of  its  hopes  and  its  purity — 
Leading  man  on  to  a  woeful  futurity. 

Food  of  the  worm !  Here  thy  dust  is  the  most  of 
thee! 

Vanishing  dew-drop !  0  why  do  they  boast  of  thee ! 

Ignorant  soul !  thy  to-morrow  may  perish  thee, 

Then,  while  thou  canst,  do  the  good  that  may  cher- 
ish thee. 

Pride  of  the  flesh,  which  thou  thinkest  so  dearly  of! 
Flower  of  the  grass,  which  the  Word  speaketh 

clearly  of! 
Like  the  dead  leaf,  which  the  autumn  wind  scat- 

tereth, 
So  passeth  life,  with  the  vain  hope  that  flattereth. 

Call  nothing  thine,  which  so  quickly  may  break 

away; 

What  the  world  giveth,  it  meaneth  to  take  away ; 
Think  on  the  skies,  set  thy  heart  on  eternity — 
Happy,  despising  this  world  of  infirmity  I 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


THIS  old  alphabetic  poem  is  of  a  very  early  period,  at 
least  as  early  as  the  seventh  century,  being  referred  to 
by  Bede,  who  died  early  in  the  eighth  century.  The 
author's  name  has  been  lost  in  the  ages. 

It  is  more  properly  narrative  than  lyrical,  and  lacks 
polish  and  grace;  but  this  is  more  than  made  up  by  its 
simplicity  and  solemnity.  Having  been  written  before 
the  Dies  Tree,  it  has  been  supposed  to  have  suggested  that 
majestic  and  solitary  hymn,  but  with  slight  reason.  The 
topic  and  the  scene  are  different,  as  well  as  the  instruc- 
tion and  the  spirit  of  the  whole  piece.  That  is  but  the 
natural  and  agonizing  expression  of  penitence  and  prayer 
by  an  individual  sinner,  in  view  of  the  awful  solemnities 
of  the  final  day  of  wrath.  This  is  a  noble,  simple  and 
trusting  paraphrase  of  the  29th  and  30th  verses  of  the 
24th  chapter  of  Matthew  and  of  the  31st  to  the  45th 
verses  of  the  25th  chapter,  which  contain  a  striking 
account  of  a  trial  at  the  Judgment — the  organization  of 
the  court,  the  summons,  the  complaint,  the  trial,  the  judg- 
ment, the  execution,  so  circumstantially  and  solemnly 
reported  by  the  Judge  Himself,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
doubt  that  it  was  intended  to  convey  to  us  a  lively  and 
instructive  representation  of  the  circumstances  and  man- 
ner of  the  final  Judgment,  and,  in  the  most  forcible  man- 
ner, to  teach  us,  as  His  life  had  done,  that  when  He  shall 


TUB  D  A  Y  OF  JUD  GHENT.  3  J 

come  to  judge  every  man  according  to  his  works,  it  will 
be  a  life  of  goodness  and  love  of  Christ,  which  will  be  the 
test  of  pure  religion  and  undefiled  before  God  and  the 
Father. 


DE  DIE  JUDICII. 


Epparefctt  repenttna  tries  magna  Bomini, 
4Fur  xrtscura  belut  noete  improbisos  oc^ 

eupans. 
$3rebis  touts  tune  parettt  prtset 


Cotum  simui  eum  elatetit 

s^eulum. 
Otlangot  tutf  per  quaternas  terras 

gag  ronrinnt^, 
Utbos  una  mortuosqtie  Ci)tisto  eiet  ot= 

biam. 

Be  eelesti  Jutrex  arce,  majestate  fulgitrus, 
(Tlaris  angelorum  djoris  romttatus 

tit. 
iSrubeseet  ortis  ltin«,  sol  bel 

titur, 
Stella  ealrent  palleseentes,  muntri  tremet 

amtitus- 
jflamma   ignis   anteibit   justi   bultum 

Jutoicis, 
OTtelum,  terras,  et  profuntrt  fluetus  ponti 

treborans. 
(^loriosus  in  sufclimi  Mex  setrebit  solio, 


35 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


At  the  last,  the  great  day  of  the  Lord  shall  arise, 
As  a  thief  in  the  night,  to  dismay  and  surprise. 
Then  how  transient  will  seem  all  the  pleasures  of 

earth, 
When  the  end  of  all  time  shall  be  past,  like  its 

birth— 
When  the  trumpet  shall  call  from  all  quarters 

below, 

Both  the  quick  and  the  dead  to  the  judgment  to  go. 
From  his  heavenly  palace,  majestic  and  bright, 
Shall  the  Judge,  with  His  angels,  come  glorious  in 

light, 
While  the  sun  shall  be  dark  and  the  moon  be  like 

blood, 
And  the  stars  fade  and  fall,  and  earth  shake  like  a 

flood. 
From  the  face  of  the  Judge  shall  the  flame  of  his 

ire, 
All  the  air  and  the  earth  and  the  sea,  burn  with 

fire. 
And  the  King  shall  then  sit  on  his  throne  in  the 

sky, 


36  DE  DIE  JUDICII. 

&ngelorum   tremefcunfca   drcumstalwnt 
agmina. 

omnes  ato  electt  collegentur  titxz 
teram, 

t  pabent  a  sitttetris,  ija^tii  belut  t&z 
tiM— 

tiicet  ita  ati  trextrois,  regnum  ccelt 
gumtte, 

ortts  quotr  parabtt  ante  omne  ^^ 
eulum. 
Harttate  qni  fraterna  me  jubtsitigi 

perem. 
(Karitatis  ntinc  tnercetjem  teportate 


Haett  Accent  (Jluantro,  OTIjrtete,  pauperem 

te  bttitmug, 

,  Hex  magne,  bel  egentem  mt^etati 
jubtmus, 

tilts  trtcet  Jutiei—  OTum  jubtstte 
pauperem, 
^anetn,  tiomum,  beistem  fcantes,  me  ju= 


tattiabtt  et  jstntgtriis  loqut  Justus 
biter— 

geljenn^,  maletrictt,  flammas  f)tnc 
trtscetrite, 

©fjsecrantem  me  autriretrespejctstts  men=: 
tricum, 

bestem  non  tretristts,  neglexistts 
languHrutn. 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT.  37 

And  all  of  His  angels  stand  worshipping  by. 

To  His  right  His  elect  He  shall  call  by  His 
grace, 

While  the  wicked,  like  goats,  on  the  left  He  shall 
place. 

Then  to  those  on  His  right  hand  the  King  shall 
declare, 

"Take  the  kingdom  my  Father  for  you  did  pre- 
pare— 

For  'twas  when  I  was  poor  that  your  love  gave  me 
aid — 

From  the  riches  of  love  your  reward  now  is 
made." 

Then  the  righteous  shall  ask,  "When,  oh  Lord, 
did  we  bless 

Thee,  our  heavenly  King,  or  relieve  Thy  dis- 
tress?" 

And  the  Judge  shall  reply,  "When  the  poor  ye  did 
heed, 

Giving  shelter  and  clothing  and  bread  for  their 
need." 

And  to  those  on  His  left  shall  the  Just  Judge  pro- 
claim, 

"Ye  accursed,  depart  to  unquenchable  flame; 

Ye  despised  me  when  I  for  your  alms  did  im- 
plore, 

Being  sick  and  forsaken  and  naked  and  sore." 


j8  DE  DIE  JUDICII. 

^eccatores  Mcent—  OTfjrtete,  quantro  te  bel 

pauperem, 

i£e:c  magne  bel  infirmum  content 

plantes  sprebimus  ? 

contra  Ju&e*  altug—  liflentJicantt 

quamtiiu 
©pern  ferre  Tjeispejctstig,  me 

tmpvott. 
l&etro  ruent  turn  tnjustt  tgnes  in 

uos, 
Uermis  quorum  non  mortetur,  flamma 

nee  reminguttur, 
g>atan  atro  eum  mtntsstrig  quo  tenetur 

catcere, 
jpletusi  uti  mugitugque  strtoeut  omnes 

trentitujj, 
Cunc  n^eies  atr  etelejstem  sugtollentur 

patrtam, 
(Kijoros   inter   angelorum   regni  petent 

gautita, 
SErtte  summae  l^ierusialem  introitunt 

gloriam, 
Uera  lueis  atque  pacis  in  qua  fulget 

bteto. 
Xristum  iegem,  iam  paterna  elaritate 


i  celsa  teatorum  eontemplantur 
min  a. 

i  frautiess  ergo  eabe,  inftrmanteg 
Irlm, 


THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT.  39 

And  the  wicked  shall  say,  "Lord,  oh  when  did  we 

spurn 
Thee,    0    King,    and    away    from    thy    poverty 

turn?" 
"  This  to  me  ye  have  done,"  then  the  great  Judge 

shall  say, 
"  When  the  poor  ye  despised  and  from  him  turned 

away." 
And  then  back  shall  they  rush  to  the  flames  that 

arise, 
Where  the  fire  is  not  quenched  and  their  worm 

never  dies — 

Where    the    devil    is    bound    in    his    prison    be- 
neath— 
Where  are  weeping  and  groaning  and  gnashing  of 

teeth. 
Then   the    faithful   shall   rise   to    their    heavenly 

home, 
In    the   joys    of   the    kingdom    with    angels    to 

roam, 

They  shall  enter  the  bliss  of  the  city  of  God — 
Where  the  visions  of  peace  and   of  light  shine 

abroad — 
Where  the  throngs   of  the  blessed  Christ  Jesus 

adore, 

As  He  shineth  in  glory  His  Father  before. 
Shun  the  wiles  of  the  serpent,   give  aid  to  the 

weak, 


4°  DE  DIE  JUDICII. 

Eurum  temne,  fuge  lusti*,  si  bte  astra 


data  castitatig  lumto*  nuuc  ac^ 
ctugere, 
occursum  magni  itegis  fer  artrantes 


THE  DAT  OF  JUDGMENT.  4! 

Flee  thy  worldly  desires,  if  the  skies  thou  wouldst 

seek. 
And  begird  up  thy  loins,  with  a  zone  pure  and 

white ; 
Be  prepared  for  the  King,  with  thy  lamps  burning 

bright 

6 


VENI,  CREATOR  SPIRITUS. 


THIS  HITMN  has  always  been  held  in  the  highest  esti- 
mation as  an  invocation  of  that  Creative  Spirit  which 
gives  the  birth  of  a  new  spiritual  life.  "  That  which  is 
born  of  the  spirit  is  spirit."  From  its  use  as  a  prayer  for 
the  regeneration  of  the  new  birth  it  passed  easily  into 
use,  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  as  an  appointed  song 
for  those  sacred  and  solemn  occasions  where  the  blessing 
of  the  Spirit  is  invoked  upon  one  about  to  enter  upon  a 
new  life,  in  which  the  divine  aid  is  especially  necessary, 
as  in  the  ordering  of  priests,  the  consecration  of  bishops 
and  archbishops,  and  the  coronation  of  kings  and  popes. 
It  is  also  used  as  a  Pentecostal  hymn.  There  is  a 
translation  of  it  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  in  the  Form  for  ordering  priests.  It  is, 
however,  more  properly  a  paraphrase  than  a  translation — 
the  seven  stanzas  of  the  original  being  expanded  into 
sixteen. 

Its  authorship  is  commonly  attributed  to  Charlemagne, 
who  died  in  the  year  814.  I  adopt,  however,  the  opinion 
of  Trench,  that  it  is  certainly  older  than  the  time  of  that 
great  monarch.  Judging  from  internal  evidence  alone,  I 
should  not  hesitate  to  ascribe  it  to  St.  Ambrose,  who 
died  in  397.  I  give  but  little  importance  to  the  ascrip 
tion  of  it  to  Charlemagne.  It  may  very  well  be  but  one 


VENI,   CREATOR  SPIRITUS.  43 

of  the  many  examples  of  the  facility  with  which  opinions 
on  such  matters,  once  expressed,  even  without  evidence, 
are  repeated  until  they  are  generally  believed,  no  one 
taking  the  trouble  to  inquire  into  their  foundation.  The 
high  character  and  various  talents  of  St.  Ambrose — 
"Doctor  Mellifluus  et  Mellitissimus"  as  he  was  called — • 
caused  to  be  attributed  to  him  many  hymns  of  great  an- 
tiquity, of  which  he  was  finally  believed  not  to  be  the 
author,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  make  many  believe 
that  there  are  no  hymns  which  can  with  certainty  be  said 
to  be  his,  and  I  know  of  no  authority  for  saying  that  this  is 
his.  Except  as  a  matter  of  literary  history,  it  is  of 
little  importance  who  was  the  author.  The  merit  of  the 
hymn  is  in  itself  alone.  Its  comprehensiveness  and 
brevity,  its  simplicity  and  beauty,  its  gentle  spirit  of  trust 
and  devotion,  and  its  earnest  directness  of  expression, 
mark  it  as  the  production  of  a  great  and  practised  writer 
and  a  devout  Christian,  studiously  familiar  with  the 
Scriptures  and  with  theological  truth,  rather  than  of  a 
proud  monarch  and  a  great  soldier. 


44 


VENI,  CREATOR  SPIRITUS. 


Ueni,  creator 
JBentes  tuorum  bisita, 
Jmple  guperna  gratia 
<!|u$  tu  creasti  pectora. 

<&ni  titcerig  paradetuis, 
Eltissimi  tronum  Bet, 
jfons  btbugi,  tgnts,  carttag, 
35t  gpirttaltg  tinctto. 

pttformis  munere, 
patents  ft  extras, 
rte  promisjsum  ^atris, 
S^rmone  tiitans  guttura. 

Eccentre  lumen  sensiiws. 
Snftintie  atnorem  cortiituis, 
Jnfirma  nostri  corports 
T[Jirtute  firmans  perpeti. 

postern  repellas  longius, 
^acemque  tronesi  protinuis ; 
Buctore  gie  te  pr&tno, 

omne  noxium. 
te  sciamus  tra  ^atre 
atque  jfilium; 


45 


COME,    CREATIVE   SPIRIT. 


SPIRIT,  heavenly  life  bestowing, 
Spirit,  all  Thy  new-born  knowing, 
Fill  with  gracious  inspiration 
Every  soul  of  Thy  creation. 
Comforter  from  God  descending, 
Life  and  unction  ever  blending — 
Fount  of  living  waters  flowing, 
Flame  of  love  for  ever  glowing. 
Sevenfold,  precious  gifts  conferring, 
Finger  of  the  Lord,  unerring — 
Promise,  by  the  Father  given, 
Teacher  of  the  speech  of  heaven — 
For  our  senses  light  securing, 
Fill  our  hearts  with  love  enduring ; 
In  our  bodies  strength  implanting, 
Faith  and  firmness  ever  granting. 
Far  the  foe  to  grace  repelling, 
Give  us  endless  peace  indwelling ; 
Thou,  as  leader,  deign  to  guide  us, 
That  no  evil  may  betide  us. 
By  Thy  grace  the  Father  learning, 
And  the  blessed  Son  discerning ; 


46  VENI,  CREATOR  SPIRITUS. 


utriusque 
OTreimmus  mnm  tempore. 
Gloria  ^atrt  JBomino, 
flatoque  qui  a  mortute 
gurrei'it,  ac  paracltto, 
Ju  so^culorum  sa^cula. 


VENI,   CREATOR  SPIRIT  US.  47 

Thee,  of  both  the  spirit  blending, 
Let  us  trust  through  life  unending. 
To  the  God  who  being  gave  us, 
To  the  Son  who  rose  to  save  us, 
To  the  Spirit  sanctifying, 
Glory  be  through  life  undying ! 


COME,    CREATIVE   SPIRIT. 

ANOTHER  YERSIOX. 

SPIRIT  creative,  power  divine  ! 
Visit  every  soul  of  Thine, 
Give  the  hearts  that  Thou  hast  made, 
Thy  celestial  grace  and  aid. 
Fount  where  living  waters  flow, 
Flame  of  heavenly  love  below, 
Holy  Ghost,  by  God  conferred, 
Unction  of  the  living  Word, 
Sending  seven-fold  gifts  abroad, 
Finger  of  the  hand  of  God, 
Promise  of  the  Father's  grace, 
Gift  of  speech  in  every  place, 
Let  our  senses  feel  Thy  flame, 
Strengthen  Thou  our  mortal  frame. 
In  our  hearts  Thy  love  bestow, 
Faith  and  firmness  let  us  know. 
Far  the  foe  to  grace  repel, 
Let  Thy  peace  within  us  dwell, 
Guide  our  feet  Thy  race  to  run, 
Teach  us  every  ill  to  shun. 
Make  us  all  the  Father  know, 
And  the  blessed  Son  below, 


VENI,    ORE  A  TOR  SPIRITUS.  49 

Give  us  endless  faith  in  Thee, 
Spirit  of  the  sacred  Three  I 
Glory  to  the  Father  be, 
Glory  to  the  risen  Son, 
Glory,  Holy  Ghost,  to  Thee. 
While  eternal  ages  run. 


COME,    CREATIVE   SPIRIT. 

ANOTHER  VERSION. 

Come  Thou  Spirit,  life  bestowing, 
Inwardly  Thy  new-born  knowing — 
Fount  of  living  waters  flowing — 
Flame  of  love,  forever  glowing — 
Comforter  from  God  descending, 
Life  and  unction  ever  blending, 
Fill  with  grace  of  Thine  own  sending, 
Every  heart  on  Thee  depending. 
Thou  Thy  seven-fold  gifts  providing, 
Thou  God's  hand  our  footsteps  guiding, 
Thou  His  promise  still  abiding, 
To  our  lips  His  word  confiding, 
For  our  senses  light  securing, 
Fill  our  hearts  with  love  enduring, 
All  the  body's  weakness  curing, 
Faith  and  strength  in  us  maturing. 
Far  the  foe  to  grace  repelling, 
Give  us  endless  peace  indwelling, 
Leader  Thou,  our  pathway  telling, 
Every  evil  thing  dispelling. 
Us  unto  the  Father  leading 
And  the  Saviour  interceding, 


VENI.   CREATOR  SPIRITUS. 

In  Thyself,  from  both  proceeding, 
Give  the  faith  that  we  are  needing. 
To  the  Father,  life  supplying, 
To  the  Son,  for  sinners  dying, 
To  the  Spirit  sanctifying, 
Glory  be  through  life  undying ! 


THE  LAST  SUPPER— ST.  THOMAS 
AQUINAS. 


ST.  THOMAS  AQUINAS,  born  in  1224,  of  a  noble 
family,  was  one  of  the  most  illustrious  saints  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  He  was  remarkable  for  his 
learning,  his  eloquence,  and  his  ability  as  an  instructor  in 
letters  and  religion,  and  his  eminent  piety — excelling  all 
his  contemporaries.  His  friendship  was  sought  by  the 
most  distinguished  men  of  his  time,  and  he  was  offered 
the  dignities  of  the  church ;  but  these  he  steadily  refused 
to  accept.  He  could  not,  however,  prevent  them  from 
calling  him  the  Doctor  Angelicus.  When  Pope  Urban 
IV.  determined  to  establish  the  festival  of  the  Holy 
Sacrament,  he  directed  this  learned  and  pious  divine  to 
prepare  the  "office"  for  that  day.  He  composed  the 
celebrated  lyrics,  Pange,  Lingua,  Gloriosi  and  Lauda,  Sion, 
Salvatorem,  as  the  hymn  and  the  prose  for  that  solemn 
service.  Both  of  them  stand  in  the  second  rank  among 
the  hymns  of  the  mediaeval  period,  the  Dies  Irae,  alone 
holding  the  first. 

They  are  excluded  from  the  collection  of  Trench  be- 
cause of  their  seeming  to  teach  the  Roman  Catholic 
doctrine  of  transubstantiation.  The  language  of  this 
hymn,  of  the  Last  Supper,  is  not,  however,  subject  to  any 
objection  on  this  ground,  which  would  not  apply  to  that 
of  the  Saviour  in  the  institution  of  the  Supper,  and  to  his 


THE  LAST  SUPPER— ST.  THOMAS  AQUINAS.       S3 

instructions  in  the  sixth  chapter  of  John,  which  are  not 
only  consistent  with  our  faith,  but  are,  indeed,  the  foun- 
dation of  it.  The  Protestant  faith  on  this  subject  is  well 
expressed  and  proved  by  Lady  Jane  Grey,  in  her  inter- 
view with  Dr.  Feckenham,  who  had  been  sent  by  Queen 
Mary  to  convert  her  to  the  Catholic  religion. 

"Feckenham.  Do  you  not  receive  the  very  body  and 
blood  of  Christ? 

Lady  Jane.  No,  surety,  I  do  not  so  believe.  I  think 
that,  at  the  Supper,  I  neither  receive  flesh  nor  blood, 
but  bread  and  wine,  which  bread,  when  it  is  broken,  and 
which  wine,  when  it  is  drunken,  putteth  me  in  remem- 
brance how  that,  for  my  sins,  the  body  of  Christ  was 
broken  and  his  blood  shed  on  the  cross ;  and  with  that 
bread  and  wine  I  receive  the  benefits  that  came  by  the 
breaking  of  his  body  and  shedding  his  blood  for  our  sins 
on  the  cross. 

"  Feckenham.  Why,  doth  not  Christ  speak  these  words, 
'  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body  ?  '  Doth  he  not  say  it  is  his 
body? 

"Lady  Jane.  I  grant  he  saith  so,  and  so  he  saith  1 
am  the  vine,  I  am  the  door ;  but  he  is  never  more  the 
door  or  the  vine.  I  pray  you  to  answer  me  to  this  one 
question.  Where  was  Christ  when  he  said,  '  Take,  eat,  this 
is  my  body  ? '  Was  he  not  at  the  table  when  he  said  so  ? 
He  was  at  that  time  alive,  and  suffered  not  till  the  next 
day.  What  took  he  but  bread?  What  brake  he  but 
bread  ?  Look,  what  he  took  he  brake ;  and  look,  what 
he  brake  he  gave ;  and  look,  what  he  gave  they  did  eat. 
And  yet  all  this  time  he  himself  was  alive  and  at 
supper,  before  his  disciples." 


54 


PANGE,  LINGUA,  GLORIOSI. 


lingua,  glorioat 
mgstertum, 

jBanguinistiue  pretiosi, 
<®uem  in  munfci  prettum, 
jfructus  bentris  generosi, 
i^ex  effutiit  gentium. 

jBtotte  tiatus,  notig 
IB*  intacta  Uirgine, 
3Et  in  muntoo  conbersatus, 
berM  semine, 
as  tncolatus 
claustt  ortjine. 
supreme  nocte  CKna?, 
i&ecumtens  cum  fratritug, 
©bserbata  lege  plene 
OtitigJ  in  legalitus, 
Citum  turtae  truotienae 
S^  ^at  suis  manitus. 

ITertum  earn,  panem  betum 
IJerfco  carnem  etKcit : 
4fit(|ue  sangute  orijrtgti  metum; 
IBt  si  sensug  trefictt, 


55 


SING,   MY   TONGUE. 


Sing,  my  tongue,  the  theme  undying. 

Mystery  which  His  Body  knoweth; 
Precious  blood  of  crucifying, 

Which  the  world's  Kedeemer  showeth ; 
Fruit  of  heavenly  sanctifying, 

Whence  the  world's  redemption  floweth. 
From  the  Blessed  Virgin  going, 

lie  with  men  on  earth  resided ; 
Sacred  seed  for  ever  sowing, 

He  the  fruit  to  us  confided ; 
Till  His  end,  His  triumph  showing, 

He  His  wondrous  sojourn  guided. 
In  the  night  of  His  last  meeting, 

With  His  brethren  there  united, 
All  the  Paschal  forms  completing, 

By  the  ancient  law  indited, 
Him  He  offered  for  their  eating, 

And  His  dying  love  recited. 
Word  made  flesh,  among  us  dwelling, 

With  true  bread  and  wine  regaleth ; 
By  His  word  the  mystery  telling — 

And  if  sense  imperfect  faileth— 


5  ^  P^NGE,  LINGUA,  GLORIOSI. 


firmantwm  cor  smrerum 
la  fiires  sutKcit. 
ftantum  ergo  Sacramentum 
Uaieremur  cernut  ; 
iEt  anttquum  tiocumentum 
Jiobo  cetrat  rttui, 
^r^istet  fitres  jsupplementum 
^ettsuum  tiefectui. 

(ienftort,  aenttoque 
Haus  ct  juttlatio, 
us,  Ijonor,  btrtus 
et  teneotctio  : 
i  at  titrope 
sit  iaufcatio. 


PANGE,  LINGUA,  GLORIOSI.  57 

From  the  true  heart,  doubt  dispelling, 

Still  the  trust  of  faith  prevaileth. 
Such  a  sacrament  provided, 

Bowed  and  humble  let  us  take  it ; 
Eites  to  ancient  times  confided, 

Yield  to  what  the  new  rites  make  it ; 
Be  not  by  the  sense  misguided, 

But  in  humble  faith  partake  it. 
Father,  God  of  our  salvation ! 

Son,  for  sinners  interceding ! 
Holy  Ghost,  our  renovation, 

Spirit,  from  them  both  proceeding ! 
To  the  Three  be  jubilation, 

Honor,  praise,  and  joy  exceeding! 


DE  PASSIONE  DOMINI. 


IBcquis  btnas  columbiuas 

Silas  tiattt  anima?? 

Sit  in  almam  cruets  palmam 

IHbolet  cttisstme, 

?n  tjua  Jesus  totus  laesus, 

©rtts  tiesttjertum, 

ISt  immensus  est  suspensus, 

jFactus  improperium ! 

©1j  cor,  scantje— Jesu,  panue 

(tfarttatts  biscera, 

St  profuntie  me  reconfce 

Jntra  sacra  bulnera— 

Jn  superna  me  caberna 

(ttolloca  macert^— 

Ktc  bibeuti,  qutescenti 

jFints  est  misertte ! 

©  mi  Beus,  amor  meus! 

STune  pro  me  patens  ? 

|Jro  intitgno,  cruets  ligno, 

Jesu  mi,  sutKgeris  ? 

|3ro  (atrone,  Jesu  bone, 

ftu  in  crucem  tollerts? 


THE  PASSION  OF  THE  LORD. 


Oh !  had  it  the  wings  of  a  dove, 

Quick  my  soul  would  to  Calvary  fly, 
And  light  on  the  cross  of  His  love, 

Where  they've  nailed  the  Redeemer  to  die : 
Where  Jesus,  the  hope  of  the  earth, 

By  their  cruelty,  bleeding  and  torn, 
And  crowned  as  a  sport  for  their  mirth, 

All  their  scoffs  and  derision  has  borne. 
'  Oh !  rise  then,  my  heart,  and  away ; 

Where  Thy  yearning,  dear  Jesus,  abounds, 
There  now  in  Thy  love  let  me  stay, 

Let  me  hide  in  the  depth  of  Thy  wounds. 
On  high,  in  the  home  of  the  blest, 

In  the  cleft  of  the  Rock  give  me  peace, 
Where  dwelling,  my  spirit  may  rest, 

And  my  trouble  and  misery  cease. 
Oh !  tell  me,  my  Love  and  my  God, 

If  indeed  Thou  art  suff'ring  for  me  ? 
For  me  hast  to  Calvary  trod, 

And  dost  hang  on  the  merciless  tree? 
With  thieves,  Lord  of  goodness  and  grace, 

Have  Thine  enemies  crucified  Thee? 


6o 


DE  PASSIONE  DOMINI. 

peccatis  meis  gratis, 
Vita  mea,  moreris  ? 
jjiott  sum  tanti,  Jesu  quantt 
glmor  tuus  a^gtimat— 
i^eu !  cur  ego  bttam  trego 
S>i  cor  te  non  refcamat  ? 
Benetitctus  sit  tnbtctus 
&mor  bincens  omnta, 
Emor  fortts,  tela  mortis 
Heputans  ut  somnia. 
Jste  fecit  et  refecit 
amor,  Jesu,  pertiitum. 
©  insignis,  ^mor,  ignis 
OTor  accentrc  frigitrum ! 
O  fac  bere  cor  artiere 
jfac  me  te  titligere— 
Ba  conjungi,  tra  trefungi 
^Tecum,  Jesu,  btbere ! 


DE  PASSIONS  DOMINI.  6 1 

My  sins  dost  Thou  bear  in  my  place  ? 

And,  my  Life,  art  Thou  dying  for  me  ? 
O  Jesus !  unworthy  am  I — 

Undeserving  the  love  Thou  hast  shown. 
Ah !  what  does  this  life  signify, 

If  my  heart  do  not  love  like  Thine  own  ? 
The  love  that  o'er  all  doth  prevail, 

Let  it  blest  and  unconquered  remain, 
And  death  and  his  darts  that  assail 

Be  but  dreams  that  are  transient  and  vain, 
This  love  that  has  made  us  Thine  own, 

Blessed  Saviour,  the  lost  doth  reclaim  ; 
The  warmth  of  that  love  make  it  known, 

Till  it  kindle  my  heart  with  its  flame. 
My  heart,  let  it  burn  with  Thy  love ; 

With  a  holy  desire  let  me  sigh, 
To  join  with  my  Saviour  above, 

And  to  dwell  with  Thee,  Jesus,  on  high. 


STABAT  MATER  DOLOROSA. 


The  most  striking  poetical  situation  in  sacred  history  is 
the  Mother  of  Jesus  at  the  Cross.  It  could  not  fail  to 
be  the  subject  of  a  mediaeval  hymn.  The  world-renowned 
Stabat  Mater  is  that  hymn,  which,  alter  being  ascribed  to 
many  eminent  authors,  is  rio\v  commonly  attributed  to 
Jacopone  (ante,  page  18).  "The  mysterious  charm  and 
power  of  the  hymn  is  due  to  the  subject,  and  to  the  intensity 
of  feeling  with  which  the  author  has  seized  it.  Mary  stood 
there  not  only  as  the  mother,  but  as  the  representative 
of  the  whole  Christian  church,  for  which  the  eternal  Son 
of  God  suffered  the  most  ignominious  death  on  the  cross. 
The  author  had  the  rare  poetic  faculty  to  bring  out,  as 
from  immediate  vision  and  heartfelt  sympathy,  the  deep 
meaning  of  these  scenes,  in  stanzas  of  classic  beauty  and 
melody  that  melt  the  heart  and  start  the  tear  of  peniten- 
tial grief  at  the  cross  of  Christ." 

"  The  Mater  Dolorosa  has  been  regarded  by  universal 
consent  as  the  most  pathetic  and  touching  of  Latin  church 
lyrics,  and  inferior  only  to  the  Dies  Tree,  which  stands 
alone  in  its  glory  and  overpowering  effect.  Daniel  calls 
it  the  queen  of  sequences.  It  breathes  the  spirit  of  pro- 
found repentance  and  glowing  love,  such  as  can  be  kindled 
only  by  long  and  intense  contemplation  of  the  mystery 


STA  BA  T  MA  TER  D  OL  OR  OS  A.  63 

of  the  cross — that  most  amazing  and  affecting  spectacle 
ever  presented  to  the  gaze  of  heaven  and  earth.  The 
agony  of  Mary  at  the  cross,  and  the  sword  which  then 
pierced  through  her  soul,  according  to  the  prophecy  of 
Simeon,  never  found  more  perfect  expression.  It  sur- 
passes in  effect  the  Mater  Dolorosas  of  the  greatest  paint- 
ers. The  key-note  of  the  hymn  is  contained  in  the  first 
two  lines,  and  is  suggested  by  the  brief  but  pregnant 
sentence  of  St.  John,  Stalat  juxta  crucem  mater  ejus. 
Vulg.  It  is  brought  out  with  overpowering  effect  in  the 
Hymn,  as  has  been  felt  even  by  those  who  have  little  re 
ligious  sympathy  with  the  theme.  '  The  loveliness  of 
sorrow,'  says  Tieck.  'in  the  depth  of  pain,  the  smiling  in 
tears,  the  childlike  simplicity  which  touches  on  the  high- 
est heaven,  had  to  me  never  before  risen  so  bright  in  the 
soul.  I  had  to  turn  away  to  hide  my  tears,  especially  at 
the  place,  '  Vidit  suum  dulcem  natwm.J  " 

"  The  Mater  Dolorosa  has  furnished  the  text  of  some 
of  the  noblest  musical  compositions  by  Palestrina,  Per- 
golesi,  Astorga,  Haydn,  Bellini,  Rossini,  Neukomm.  That 
of  Palestrina  is  still  annually  performed  in  the  Sistine 
Chapel,  during  Passion  week. 

"  There  are  about  eighty  translations  of  this  hymn  in 
German,  and  there  are  several  in  English ;  but  very  few 
of  those  in  English  preserve  the  original  metre." 

The  foregoing  quotations  are  from  the  admirable  article 
of  Dr.  Schaff,  in  the  "Hours  at  Home,"  to  which  I  have 
elsewhere  referred. 


64 


STABAT    MATER    DOLOROSA. 


g>tafoat  iftflater  nolorosa 
Juita  crucem  lacrjnnosa, 
Bum  penfcetat  jffitug— 

(tfujus  animam  gementem, 
(tfontrtetantem  &  tiolentem, 
^ertransibit  glatiiusi. 

©  quam  ttistis  ^  atflicta 
,ifuit  ilia  tenetitcta, 


m^retat,  ^  tioletat, 
3£t  tremebat  cum  bitiebat 
|lati  pcenag  tnclBtt! 
(Jluts  cst  1)0  mo  qut  non  fteret, 

JHatrcm  si  btoeret 
tanto  suppltdo  ? 
(Jluis  posset  non  contrtstart 

Ittatrcm  rontcmplart, 
Bolentem  cum  Jfilto  ? 

^ro  peccatis  su^  grntts, 
IJttjit  jesum  in  tormcntis, 
3Et  flagellte  subtiitum. 

Wtiit  suum  oulcem  fiatum, 
IHorientem,  oesolatum, 
23um  emtjstt  spiritum 


WEEPING-  STOOD   HIS   MOTHER. 


Weeping  stood  His  mother,  sighing 
By  the  cross  where  Jesus,  dying, 

Hung  aloft  on  Calvary ; 
Through  her  soul,  in  sorrow  moaning, 
Bowed  in  grief,  in  spirit  groaning, 

Pierced  the  sword  in  misery. 
Filled  with  grief  beyond  all  others, 
Mother — blessed  among  mothers — 

Of  the  God-begotten  one ! 
How  she  sorroweth  and  grieveth, 
Trembling  as  she  thus  perceiveth 

Dying  her  unspotted  one ! 
Who  could  there  refrain  from  weeping, 
Seeing  Christ's  dear  mother  keeping, 

In  her  grief,  so  bitterly  ? 
Who  could  fail  to  share  her  anguish, 
Seeing  thus  the  mother  languish, 

Lost  in  woe  so  utterly  ? 
For  the  trespass  of  his  nation 
She  beheld  his  laceration, 

By  their  scourges  suffering. 
She  beheld  her  dearest  taken, 
Crucified,  and  God-forsaken, 

Dying  by  their  torturing. 
9 


66  STAB  AT  MATER   DOLOROSA. 

I£ta  JBater  fons  amoris, 
Jifle  seutire  bun  fcolorte, 
jf  ac  tit  tecum  lugeam. 

;jFac  ut  artieat  cor  meum 
Jri  amantio  orijriistum  23eum, 
5&t  sibi  complaceam. 

gancta  Water,  igtutr  agag, 
(Kructfixt  fige  plagas 
Otortri  meo  balttre. 

5Tui  i^att  bulnerati, 
Jam  tutgnatt  pro  me  pati, 
^cena^  mecum  tribitie. 

,iFac  me  bere  tecum  flere, 
(tfrucifixo  controlere, 
5ionec  ego  btxero. 

Juxta  Otrucem  tecum  stare, 
2Te  litenter  sociare, 
Jn  planctu  tiesiitrero. 

"fcTirgo  birginutn  pra^clara, 
Jifliiji  jam  non  sits  amara, 
jfac  me  tecum  plangere. 

,ifac  tit  portem  (tfijrteti  mortem, 
^asualonis  e|us  sortem 
lEt  plagas  recolere. 

jpac  me  plagig  bulnerari, 
(ffruce  ijac  inetrtari, 
amorem  jFilit. 

Jnflammatug  3f  accensus, 
te,  l^irgo,  sim  fcefensus 
Jn  tile 


STABA  T  MA  TEE  D  OL  OROSA.  67 

Mother,  fountain  of  affection, 
Let  me  share  thy  deep  dejection, 

Let  me  share  thy  tenderness ; 
Let  my  heart,  thy  sorrow  feeling, 
Love  of  Christ,  the  Lord,  revealing, 

Be  like  thine  in  holiness ! 
All  His  stripes,  oh !  let  me  feel  them, 
On  my  heart  for  ever  seal  them, 

Printed  there  enduringly. 
All  His  woes,  beyond  comparing, 
For  my  sake  in  anguish  bearing, 

Let  me  share  them  willingly. 
By  thy  side  let  me  be  weeping, 
True  condolence  with  him  keeping, 

Weeping  all  my  life  with  thee ; 
Near  the  cross  with  thee  abiding, 
Freely  all  thy  woes  dividing, 

In  thy  sorrow  joined  with  thee. 
Virgin,  of  all  virgins  fairest, 
Let  me  feel  the  love  thou  bearest, 

Sharing  all  thy  suffering ; 
Let  me  feel  the  death  they  gave  Him, 
Crucified  in  shame  to  save  them, 

Dying  without  murmuring. 
Let  me  feel  their  blows  so  crushing, 
Let  me  drink  the  current  gushing 

From  His  wounds  when  crucified. 
By  a  heavenly  zeal  excited, 
When  the  judgment  fires  are  lighted 

Then  may  I  be  justified. 


68  STABAT  MATER  DOLOROSA. 

jFac  me  (ftruce  custoturi, 
Jftorte  Otljristi  jmemuntri, 
OTonfobert  gratia. 

(Jluantro  corpus  mortetut, 
jpac  ut  antma^  tuonetur 
gloria. 


STAB  A  T  MA  TER  DOLOR  OS  A.  69 

On  the  Cross  of  Christ  relying, 

Through  His  death  redeemed  from  dying, 

By  His  favor  fortified ; 
When  my  mortal  frame  is  perished, 
Let  my  spirit  then  be  cherished, 

And  in  heaven  be  glorified. 


DE  CORONA  SPINEA. 


Si  bis  bere  gloriari, 
IBt  a  23eo  coronari 
Denote  et  gloria, 
l^anc  coronam  contemplari 
,  atque  scctari 

bestigta. 

OTalorum  fctx  portabit, 
l^onorabtt  et  sacrabtt 
j&acro  gjuo  captte- 
Jn  Ijac  galea  pugnabtt, 
(Kum  anttquum  Ijogtem  strabtt, 
^rtumpljans  in  stipite. 
pugnantte  galea, 
laurea, 
pontificte— 
fuit  spinea, 
fit  aurea 

STactu  sancti  berticis. 
gjpfaarutn  aculeos 
fecit  aureos 


peccatts 
te  mer 
Etrtmplebit 


THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS. 


Woulds't  thy  spirit  glory  truly — 
By  the  Lord  be  honored  duly, 

With  a  crown  irradiate, 
Think  upon  the  crown  they  gave  Him, 
Crucified  in  scorn  to  save  them — 

Strive  His  life  to  imitate. 
This,  the  King  of  Heaven,  dying, 
Honoring  and  sanctifying, 

Wore  in  shame  and  misery. 
In  this  helmet  He  contended, 
When  His  strife  in  triumph  ended, 

On  the  cross  of  Calvary. 
Helmet  which  the  soldier  beareth — 
Laurel  which  the  victor  weareth — 

High  priest's  mitre,  consecrate — 
First  of  thorns  His  temples  tearing, 
Then  of  gold  beyond  comparing, 

By  His  touching  transmutate. 
Thorns  He  wore  amid  their  scorning, 
Change  to  gold  His  brows  adorning — 

By  the  death  He  suffereth. 
Which  to  those  by  sin  perverted — 
From  eternal  death  converted — 

Every  blessing  offercth. 


72  DE  CORONA  SPINEL. 

2Be  malte  colligitur 
ISt  tie  spittis  plectitur 


n  aurum  bertttuv, 
(Jluantro  culpa  tollttur, 

lEtefcem  conbersis. 
Jegu  pie,  Jesu  ijone, 
jflostro  notig  in  agone 
Hargere  bictoriam- 
reis  noistrois  sic  compoue 
perpetual  corona 
Iereamur  gloriam. 


THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS.  7 3 

Thorns,  by  wicked  hands  collected, 
In  a  plaited  crown  connected, 

Pierce  the  wicked  bearing  it ; 
When  away  our  sin  He  taketh, 
This  a  crown  of  gold  He  maketh, 

To  his  children  wearing  it 
Jesus  in  Thy  goodness  aid  us — 
In  the  strife  that  sin  has  made  us, 

Give  us,  Lord,  the  victory. 
So  our  daily  lives  preparing, 
That,  Thine  endless  glory  sharing, 

We  may  wear  the  crown  with  Thee. 
10 


74 


VICTIMS  PASCHAL!  LAUDES, 

THE   FOUR   PRINCIPAL   PROSES. 

This  hymn,  of  which  the  author  is  unknown,  is  said 
every  day  of  Easter  week.  It  is  one  of  the  four  prin- 
cipal Proses  of  the  Roman  Catholic  books  of  devotion. 
They  were  called  Sequences,  from  their  place  in  the  ser- 
vices of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church — they  followed  the 
Gradual.  They  were  called  proses,  because  they  were  not 
verse  in  the  classical  sense,  but  prose ;  that  is  to  say, 
they  disregarded  the  quantitative  measure  of  the  classical 
poets,  and,  in  place  of  it,  substituted  syllabic  measure  and 
accentual  rhythm. 

"Prose,  nom  qu'on  a  donne  dans  les  derniers  siecles  a 
certaines  hymnes  composes  de  vers  sans  mesure,  mais 
de  certain  nombre  de  syllabes  avec  des  rimes  qui  se 
chantent  apres  le  graduel,  d'ou  on  les  a  aussi  appellees 
sequence — sequentia,  c'est  a  dire  qui  suit  apres  le  grad- 
uel."— Supp.  Morer. 

"Prose  se  dit  aussi  d'une  sorte  d'ouvrage  latin  en  rimes, 
ou  sans  observer  la  quantite,  on  observe  le  nombre  des 
syllabes.  On  chante  a  la  rnesse,  immediatement  avant 
1'evangile,  quelques  ouvrages  de  cette  nature  dans  les 
solemnites." — Diet.  Acad. 

"Prosa,  that  which  is  not  metre." — Holyoke  Lat.  Diet. 

Although  at  the  first  the  rhyme  and  the  rhythm  were 


VICTIMS  PASCHA LI  LA  UDES.  J 5 

both  imperfect,  in  the  course  of  time  the  versification  and 
the  rhyme  were  alike  regular  and  harmonious. 

"  L'usage  des  proses  a  commence"  au  plus  tard  au  neu- 
vieme  siecle.  Notker,  moine  de  S.  Gal,  qui  e"crivit  vers 
Tan  880,  et  qui  est  regard  e"  com  me  le  premier  auteur  que 
Ton  connaisse,  en  fait  de  proses,  dit  dans  la  preface  du 
livre  ou  il  en  parle  qui  il  en  avoit  vu  dans  un  antipho- 
nier  de  1'abbaye  de  Jumieges,  laquelle  fut  bruise  par  les 
Normands  en  841.  Nous  avons  quatre  proses  principales, 
le  Veni,  Sancte  Spiritus,  pour  la  Pentecdte,  que  Durand 
attribue  au  Roi  Robert,  mais  qui  est  plus  probablement 
de  Hermannus  Contractus — c'esl.  la  prose  Sancti  Spiritus 
adsit  nobis  gratia,  qui  est  du  roi  Robert,  selon  quelques 
anciens,  entr'  autres  Brompton  plus  ancien  que  Durand — 
Le  Lauda  Sion  salvatorem,  pour  la  fete  du  S.  Sacre- 
ment  qui  est  de  S.  Thomas  d'Aquin — Le  Victimce  pas- 
chali  laudes  dont  on  ignore  1'auteur — c'est  la  prose  du 
temps  de  P&ques — Le  Dies  irce,  Dies  ilia,  que  Ton  chante 
aux  services  des  morts.  On  1'attribue  mal  apropos  a  S. 
Gre"goire,  ou  a  S.  Bernard,  ou  a  Humbert,  ge'ne'ral  des 
dominicains.  Cette  prose  est  du  Cardinal  Frangipani, 
dit  Malabranca,  docteur  de  Paris,  de  1'ordre  des  domini- 
cains qui  mourut  a  Perouse  en  1 294." — Encyc.  et  Supp. 
Merer. 

The  Victimce  paschali  laudes  is  usually  printed  in  the 
form  of  prose,  as  I  give  it.  I  do  not  doubt,  however, 
that  its  author  considered  it  a  rhymed  lyric — poetical  in 
its  thought  and  conception,  but  really  written  in  prosaic 
form,  and  interspersed,  at  unequal  intervals,  with  rhymes 
of  a  very  irregular  and  imperfect  character,  furnishing  an 
apt  illustration  of  the  remarks  of  Archbishop  Trench  on 


7  6  VICTIMS  PASCJTALI  LA  UDES. 

the  infancy  and  progress  of  Latin  rhymed  accentual  ver 
sification.  He  says  (I  abridge  his  remarks) :  '  Rhyme 
made  itself  an  occasional  place  even  in  the  later  or  pro- 
sodic  poetry  of  Rome,  but  no  large  employment  of  it  dates 
higher  than  the  eighth  or  ninth  centuries.  It  displayed 
itself  first  in  lines  which,  having  a  little  relaxed  the  strict- 
ness of  metrical  observance,  sought  to  find  a  compensation 
for  this  in  similar  closes  to  the  verse,  being  at  this  time 
very  far  from  that  elaborate  and  perfect  instrument  which 
it  afterwards  became.  We  may  trace  it,  step  by  step, 
from  its  rude,  timid,  and  uncertain  beginnings,  till,  in  the 
later  hymnologists  of  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  centuries, 
an  Aquinas  or  an  Adam  of  St.  Victor,  it  displayed  all  its 
latent  capabilities,  and  attained  its  final  glory  and  perfec- 
tion, satiating  the  ear  with  a  richness  of  melody  scarcely 
anywhere  to  be  surpassed.  At  first  the  rhymes  were 
often  merely  vowel  or  assonant  ones,  the  consonants  not 
being  required  to  agree ;  or  the  rhyme  was  adhered  to 
when  this  was  convenient,  but  disregarded  when  the 
needful  word  was  not  at  hand ;  or  the  stress  of  the  rhyme 
was  suffered  to  fall  on  an  unaccented  syllable,  thus  scarcely 
striking  the  ear ;  or  it  was  limited  to  the  similar  termina- 
tion of  a  single  letter ;  while  sometimes,  on  the  strength 
of  this  like  ending,  as  sufficiently  sustaining  the  melody, 
the  whole  other  construction  of  the  verse  and  arrangement 
of  the  syllables  was  neglected.  It  may  be  that  they  who 
first  used  it,  were  oftentimes  scarcely,  or  not  at  all,  con- 
scious of  what  they  were  doing.1 

The  following  arrangement  of  the  whole  original  hymn 
illustrates  these  remarks : 


VICTIMS  PASCUA LI  LA  UDES.  J  J 

Victimac  Paschali, 

Laudes  immolent  Christian!, 

Agnus  redemit  oves, 

Christus  innocens  Patri 

Reconciliavit  peccatores. 

Mors  et  vita,  duello, 

Conflixere  mirando. 

Dux  vitee  mortuus, 

Regnat  vivus. 

Die  nobis,  Maria, 

Quid  vidisti  in  via  ? 

Sepulcrum  Christi  viventis 

Et  gloriam  vidi  resurgentis. 

Die  nobis,  Maria 

Quid  vidisti  in  via  ? 

Angelicos  testes, 

Sudarium  et  vestes. 

Die  nobis,  Maria, 

Quid  vidisti  in  via. 

Sun-exit  Christus,  spes  mea. 

Praecedet  suos  in  Galilteam. 

Credendum  est  magis  soli  Mariaa  veraci, 

Quam  Judseorum  turbaa  fallaci. 

Scimus  Christum  surrexisse  a  mortuis  vere, 

Tu  nobis  victor,  Rex  miserere. 

Thus  arranged,  at  its  full  length,  it  gives  strong  color 
to  the  suggestion,  which  has  been  made,  that,  originally,  it 
had  a  dramatic  character,  and  was  sung,  responsively,  by 
a  choir  and  by  persons  representing  Mary  Magdalen  and 
the  Apostles — a  kind  of  performance  which  was  not  un- 
common in  the  earlier  ages  of  Christianity.  I  copy  the 
Prose  from  the  Roman  Missal,  in  the  prosaic  form  in  which 
I  have  always  seen  it  printed,  and  in  which  it  is  said  in 
that  service. 


VICTIMS  PASCHALI  LAUDES. 


laute   immolent 
(ftijtistiani. 

Egnus  retremtt  obes:  arijttettts  inno= 
cens  $atri  tcconctliabit  peccafores. 

Hlors  et  bita  trtiello  confliwte  mtrantro : 
tw*  btta^  mottuug,  regnat  btbus. 

Mt  notig,  Warta:  quttr  bitrbti  in 
bia? 

Sepulcrum  OTIjrtstt  bibentb,  et  gloriam 
bitit  reisurgentb. 

Engeltcois  tesrtes,  gutrattum  et 
Sbumxit  onjrtetus,  spes  mea: 

bos  in  <&alil$am. 
Scimns  OTijriistum  surrexis0e  a  mor- 

tuis  bere.    5Tu  nobte,  bictor, 

erere. 


79 


TO  THE   PASCHAL  VICTIM  RAISE. 


Christians,  raise  your  grateful  strain 

To  the  Paschal  victim,  slain ; 

Now  the  Lamb  the  flock  hath  bought — 

To  the  Father,  long  besought, 

Christ,  the  pure  and  undefiled, 

Hath  the  sinner  reconciled. 

Here  contending  Death  and  Life 

Now  have  met  in  wondrous  strife ; 

Death  the  Prince  of  Life  hath  slain, 

Now  he  reigns  in  life  again ! 
"  Tell  us,  Mary,  what,  to-day, 

Thou  beh eldest  on  thy  way." 
"  Where  the  buried  Lord  had  been, 

There  His  glory  I  have  seen, 

Angel  witnesses  around, 

Grave  clothes  that  His  body  bound. 

Christ,  my  hope,  alive  and  free, 

Follow  Him  to  Galilee." 

Christ,  the  just,  for  sinners  slain, 

From  the  dead  is  risen  again. 

Thee,  our  victor  King,  we  know — 

To  us,  now,  Thy  mercy  show. 


8o 


DE    MYSTERIO    ASCENSIONIS 
DOMINI. 


bestras  aetetnales, 
&riumjpijales,  principals, 
&ngeli,  attollite. 
ISja,  tollite  actutum, 
T^enit  Hominns  birtutum, 
§to  ^terna^  gloria, 
l^entt  totus  l^tatuntrus, 
et  ruttcuntiujs, 
Claris  bestibus. 
gloriosus  stola, 
birtute  sola, 
cinctuis  mtllttus. 
erat  in  egressu, 
ingentem  in  regressu 

multitutrinem, 
jFructunt  su&  passionis, 
Western  resurrectionis, 
ftobam  ccelt  segetem, 
iSia,  jubilate  3ieo, 
Jacent  ijostes,  bicit  Heo, 
17icit  semen  Ebtaij^, 
5am  ruina^  replebuntur, 
ittceli  cibes  augetuntut, 


8i 


THE   ASCENSION   OF   THE   LORD. 


Raise  the  everlasting  gates, 
Triumph  now  the  Lord  awaits — 

Angels  raise  them  hastily. 
Open  wide  the  pearly  portal, 
Now  ascends  the  Lord  immortal, 

King  of  glory  endlessly. 
Now  he  comes  in  joy  sufficing, 
White  and  radiant  in  his  rising — 

Vestments  dyed  and  glorious — 
In  new  robes,  to  triumph  rising, 
Walking  in  his  strength  surprising, 

With  a  throng  victorious. 
He,  alone,  to  earth  descended, 
See  him  back  to  Heaven  ascended, 

Bringing  thousands  with  him  here — 
Fruit  of  his  incarnate  dying — 
To  his  rising  testifying — 

Heaven's  harvest  gathered  here. 
Shout  aloud  Jehovah's  praises — 
O'er  his  foes,  the  Lion  raises 

Triumph  now  to  Abra'm's  seed. 
Now  our  ruin  quickly  ceases — 
Now  the  heavenly  host  increases — 

Souls  will  now  be  saved  indeed 


E  MTSTERIO  4SCENSIONIS  DOMINI. 

Kegnet  OHjristus  trittmpijator 
Jftotninumaue  liberator, 
l&ex  misericorte, 
IJrinceps  pactg,  lieus  fortte 
Itfit®  Hator,  bictor  mortis, 
llaus  calestis  curt^. 
^u,  qut  cfflum  reserasti. 
i&t  in  illo  jpraeparasti, 
Hocum  tuts  famults, 
jPac  me  titt  famulart, 

te  pits  benerari 
in  terra  jutilis, 

post  aetum  bita^  cursum, 
3Bgo  qnope  scantiens  sursum 
&e  bitiere  baieam, 
Juxta  ^atrem  constoentem, 
Criumpijantem  et  regentem 
<©mnia  per  gioriam. 


THE  ASCENSION  OF  THE  LORD.  83 

Christ  shall  make  his  reign  enduring, 
Man's  redemption  now  securing, 

Pardoning  with  fidelity. 
Heavenly  hosts  his  praises  singing, 
He  in  strength  and  peace  is  bringing, 

Life  and  immortality. 
Thou  the  gates  of  heaven  unbarring, 
Thou,  within,  a  place  preparing 

For  thy  servants  dwelling  here, 
Let  me  with  thy  servants  joining, 
With  thy  worshippers  combining, 

Praise  thee  while  remaining  here, 
So  that  when  my  course  is  ended, 
Rising  as  my  Lord  ascended, 

I  may  see  thee  ever  there 
With  the  Father — seated  by  Him — 
Triumphing  in  glory  nigh  him — 

Reigning  with  him  everywhere 


VENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS. 


This  hymn,  which  Trench  declares  to  be  the  loveliest 
of  all  the  hymns  in  the  whole  circle  of  Latin  sacred  poetry, 
is  another  of  the  four  principal  proses — the  prose  for 
Pentecost.  Clichtoveus  says  that  it  is  beyond  all  praise, 
as  well  on  account  of  its  remarkable  grace  and  ease,  as 
of  the  richness  and  fullness  of  its  thoughts  and  the  finished 
beauty  of  its  construction,  seeming  to  show  that  the 
author,  "whoever  he  may  have  been,"  was  filled  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  with  a  heavenly  sweetness,  which  enabled 
him  to  pour  forth  such  delightful  thoughts  in  such  com- 
prehensive and  appropriate  language. 

It  has  been  attributed  to  various  authors,  among 
others  to  Pope  Innocent  III.  and  to  Hermanus  Con- 
tractus,  a  learned  monk  of  St.  Gall.  It  is  now  commonly 
attributed  to  Eobert  II.,  King  of  France.  Archbishop 
Trench  says  there  exists  no  sufficient  reason  for  calling 
in  question  the  attribution  which  has  been  commonly 
made  of  it  to  King  Robert.  I  am  very  slow  to  doubt 
when  so  great  an  authority  says  there  exists  no  sufficient 
reason  for  doubting,  but  I  am  compelled  to  say  that  I 
know  of  no  sufficient  proof  that  King  Robert  was  really 
the  author  of  it.  I  should  be  quite  ready  to  believe  that 
he  had  set  it  to  music,  if  I  were  convinced  that  so  beau- 


VENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS.  85 

tiful  a  specimen  of  rhymed  accented  Latin  verse  had  been 
written  before  his  day.  In  the  authority  quoted  on  page 
75,  the  prose  written  by  him  is  said  to  be  the  Suncti 
Spiritus  adsit  nobis  gratia,  which  is  now  usually  attrib- 
uted to  Notker,  the  first  writer  of  proses.  I  borrow  from 
the  "Seven  great  hymns"  an  extract  from  the  Chronicle 
of  St.  Bertin:  "Robert  e"tait  tres  pieux,  prudent,  lettre1 
et  suffisamment  philosophe,  mais  surtout  excellent  musi- 
cien.  II  composa  la  prose  du  St.  Esprit,  qui  commence 
par  ces  mots,  Adsit  nobis  gratia,  les  rhythmes  Judce  et 
Hierusalem,  et  Cornelius  Centurio,  qu'il  offrit  a  Rome  sur 
1'autel  de  St.  Pierre,  note"  avec  le  chant  qui  leur  e"tait 
propre,  de  meme  que  1'anti phone  Eripe  et  plusieurs  autreg 
beaux  morceaux."  The  facts,  that  no  mention  is  here 
made  of  this  gem,  and  that  Clichtoveus,  a  careful  inquirer, 
who  died  in  1543,  speaks  of  the  authorship  as  unknown, 
or  so  much  in  dispute  that  he  would  not  name  the  author, 
throw,  certainly,  some  doubt  on  the  question.  I  incline 
to  the  belief  that  this  and  the  Veni  Creator  have  lived  by 
force  of  their  innate  vitality,  and  that,  without  any  real 
evidence,  they  have  been  attributed  to  their  illustrious 
supposed  authors.  Being  worthy  of  the  highest  author- 
ship, they  would  naturally  enough  be  attributed  to  kings 
and  popes. 


86 


VENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS. 


T^eni,  gancte 
I£t  emitte 

Uucte  tu$  ratrtum. 
Ueni,  ^ater  pauperum; 
ITent,  trator  tnunerum; 

Ueni,  lumen  cortiium. 
OTonjsolator  optime, 
Bulcts  ijospes  antma^, 

Bulce  refrtgertum. 
Jn  latore  requiem, 
Jn  a^istu  temperies, 
flctu  solatium, 
teattssima, 
cortits  itttima 

Ctiorum  filreltum. 

tuo  nutntne 
lltijtl  egt  in  ijomtne, 

ilifjtl  est  innozium. 
Haba  (iiiotr  est  gortiitrum, 
^ttga  quotr  est  atitium, 

Sana  quotr  est  sauctum. 
jflecte  quotr  est  rigioum, 
jTobe  quotr  e^t  fngttrum, 

Hege  quotr  e^t  trebium. 


COME,   HOLY   SPIRIT. 


Holy  Spirit  from  above, 
Shine  upon  us  in  Thy  love 

With  Thy  heavenly  radiance. 
Father  of  the  poor  below, 
Who  dost  every  gift  bestow, 

Light  our  hearts  to  gladden  us. 
Of  the  soul  the  dearest  guest, 
Of  the  heart  the  sweetest  rest, 

Sent  of  God  to  comfort  us — 
Freshness  for  the  summer's  heat, 
In  our  tears  a  solace  sweet, 

Sweet  repose  in  weariness — 
Let  Thy  faithful  in  Thy  sight 
Feel  Thy  cheering,  heavenly  light, 

Warming  and  enlightening  us. 
Oh!  without  Thy  quickening  power, 
We  must  perish  in  an  hour, 

Everything  condemning  us. 
Wash  away  each  guilty  stain, 
Water  with  Thy  gracious  rain, 

In  Thy  mercy  healing  us. 
Move  our  stubborn  lips  to  praise, 
Warm  our  coldness  with  Thy  rays, 

Call  us  from  our  wanderings. 


VENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS. 

Da  tute  fitreliims 
Jn  te  cofitrentttuis 

Sacrum  seytenanum, 
3ia  birtutig  merittim, 
salutte  exttum, 
perenne  gautiitim, 


VENI,  SANCTE  SPIRITUS. 

Them  who  on  Thy  grace  depend, 
Them,  Thy  faithful,  ever  send 

Sacred  sevenfold  peace  with  Thee. 
Give  them  virtue's  best  reward, 
Give  salvation  with  the  Lord  ; 

Give  them  joy  unceasingly. 
12 


LAUDA,  SIGN,  SALVATOREM. 


Of  all  the  mediaeval  hymnologists,  no  one  used  the 
Latin  rhymed  versification  in  greater  perfection  than 
St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  nor  is  there  any  hymn  which 
better  exhibits  his  remarkable  power  as  a  writer  of 
Latin  hymns,  than  the  Lauda  Sion  Salvatorem,  the 
prose  for  the  holy  sacrament,  one  of  the  four  princi- 
pal proses.  As  has  been  before  stated  (page  52),  it, 
together  with  the  Pange,  Lingua,  Gloriosi,  was  written 
by  St.  Thomas,  as  part  of  the  office  for  the  feast  of  the 
Holy  Sacrament,  composed  by  him,  at  the  request  of 
Pope  Urban  IV.,  when  he  instituted  that  divinely  ap- 
pointed rite  as  one  of  the  regular  festivals  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church. 

According  to  his  view  of  that  solemn  supper,  he  has 
in  this  prose  exhausted  the  subject,  not  only  in  its  theo- 
logical and  ecclesiastical  sense,  but  in  its  administrative 
and  receptive  significance,  while  in  the  matter  of  versi- 
fication it  leaves  nothing  to  be  desired.  Its  harmony  is 
without  a  jar,  and  the  flow  of  its  rhythm  is  as  easy  and 
undisturbed  as  aptly  chosen  words  can  make  it,  while  its 
erentle  cadences  are  in  accord  with  the  divine  love  which 


LAUD  A,  SION,   SALVATOREM.  9! 

inspired  the  sacred  rite.  It  is  but  just  to  say  that  he 
doubtless  intended  that  his  words  should  be  understood 
according  to  the  faith  which  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
now  teaches;  but  it  may  also  be  said  that  the  hymn 
might  have  been  written  by  a  Protestant,  hi  the  same 
words,  without  doing  violence  to  the  faith  of  the  Pro- 
testant Church,  although  it  does  not  fully  express  that 
faith ;  and  I  have  preferred  to  translate  it  in  that 
sense. 


LAUDA,  SIGN,   SALVATOREM, 


ILaulra,  £>fon,  Salbatorem, 
Eautra  iwcem  &  pagtorem 

Jn  i)gmnte  &  canticte. 
(Quantum  pates,  tantunt  autre, 
major  omul  lautre, 
lautrare  sufficte. 
tijema  gpectaltg, 
bite  &  bitalte 

f^otite  proponilur. 
Oluem  in  gacra^  mensa  c^na^, 
&urt&  fratrum  truotien^ 

®atum  non  amingitur. 
git  laus  plena,  git  sonota: 
Sit  jucuntra,  sit  tiecora 

Mentis  jutUatio. 
30ies  solentnig  agitur, 
Jn  qua  mens^  recolitur, 

l^ujus  institutuj. 
Jn  ijac  mensa  nobi 
Jlobum  ^asdja  noba^ 

$f)a0e  betug  terminat. 
T^etustatem  nobitas, 
gUmtrant  fugat  beritas, 

i^octem  lux  eliminat. 


93 


SIGN,   PRAISE   THY   SAYIOUR. 


Sion,  praise  thine  Interceder  ; 
To  thy  Shepherd  and  thy  Leader 

Songs  and  anthems  elevate. 
With  thy  highest  powers  sing  Him, 
Still  the  praises  thou  canst  bring  Him 

Never  can  be  adequate. 
Theme  of  praise,  all  praise  transcending, 
Bread  of  life,  from  heaven  descending ! 

He  to  us  has  offered  it, 
As  He  in  that  final  meeting, 
When  the  sacred  twelve  were  eating, 

To  them  freely  proffered  it 
Lift  aloud  the  voice  of  praising, 
Sweet  and  holy  accents  raising, 

Strains  divine  to  execute. 
'Tis  the  solemn  feast  provided, 
Where  the  Lord  Himself  presided, 

This  His  feast  to  institute. 
Table  of  the  Lord  ascended, 
Paschal  Lamb  for  us  intended, 

Ancient  form  here  terminates. 
New  things  now  the  old  supplying, 
From  the  truth  the  shadows  flying, 

Light  the  darkness  dissipates. 


94  LAUDA,  SION,  SALVATOREM: 


in  nena  OTijristus  gessit, 
,if  acienlwm  ijoc  e*pressit 

Jn  sui  memoriam. 
Bocti  saeris  institutis, 
flanem,  btuum  fa  salutts 

(JTonsiecramus  ijostiam. 
Bogma  tratur  aTijrtsttanig, 
(Jluotr  tit  earn  em  transit  pante, 

ISt  binum  fa  sanguinem. 
(JHuotr  non  eapts,  quotr  non  bitres, 
Enimosa  firmat  ntres, 

rerum  ortiinem. 
tribersig  speeiefcus, 
tantum  ^  non  reiws, 

Eatent  res  eximia^. 
(Karo  citus,  sanguis  potus, 
Hdanet  tamen  ortjristus  totus 

Sut  utraque  specie. 
E  sumente  non  eoneisus, 
i^ton  confraetus,  non  oibisus; 

Jnteger  aecipitur. 
£>iunit  unus,  sumunt  mille, 
Quantum  isti,  tantum  tile: 

i^tec  sumptus  eonsumttur. 
Sumunt  toni,  sumunt  mali, 
S?orte  tamen  ina^quali, 

ITita^  bel  interims. 
IHors  est  malis,  bita  fconts: 
Fitie  paris  sumptionis 

sit  trispar  e.ritus. 


LAUD  A,  SIGN.  SALVATOREM.  95 

Doing  what  the  Lord  was  doing, 
Here,  His  own  commandment  showing, 

We  His  love  commemorate. 
Taught  by  Jesus'  inculcation, 
Bread  and  wine  for  our  salvation 

Here  to  Him  we  dedicate. 
Here  to  Christians  Jesus  preacheth, 
Here  to  us  the  mystery  teacheth, 

Never  sense  perceiving  it — 
Flesh  and  blood,  for  us  devoted, 
Are  by  bread  and  wine  denoted, 

Living  faith  believing  it. 
In  the  different  kinds  He  places, 
Signs  of  hidden  gifts  and  graces, 

Precious  things  He  telleth  here : 
That  His  flesh  is  meat  unto  us, 
And  His  blood  is  drink  unto  us — 

In  them  both  He  dwelleth  here. 
He  this  blessed  bread  that  breaketh, 
He  that  of  this  wine  partaketh, 

All  the  Saviour  cherisheth ; 
All  the  Church  on  earth  may  break  it, 
All  the  faithful  may  partake  it. 

None  of  Jesus  perisheth. 
Good  and  bad,  together  meeting, 
And  the  sacred  supper  eating, 

Each  how  different  taketh  it ! 
To  the  wicked  condemnation, 
To  the  worthy  sweet  salvation, 

Christ  the  Saviour  maketh  it  I 


96  LAUD  A,  SION,    SALVATOREM. 


tremum  Sacramento, 
it  bactUes,  sefc  memento 
Cautum  esse  sub  fragmento 

Quantum  toto  tegttur. 
jjlulla  rei  fit  seissura, 
g>i$ni  tantum  fit  fraetura, 
(©ua  nee  status  nee  statura 

gignati  minuttur. 
IBece  pants  Engelorum, 
Cactus  ettus  btatorum  : 
pants  fiUorum, 

mtttentrus  can  Huts. 
Jn  figurts  pra^signatur, 
Otum  Jsaac  immolatur, 
Egnus  pascft^  tieputatur, 

J9atur  manna  patrttus. 
13one  Castor,  pants  bere, 
Jesu  nostrt  miserere, 
*feu  nos  pasce,  nos  tuere, 
£u  nos  tona  fac  bttiere 

Jn  terra  bibenttum. 
En  (jut  cuncta  sets  &  bales, 
(Sui  nos  pascts  i)tc  mortales, 
3Tuos  ttt  eommensaies, 
Otoij^retres  &  sotiales, 

jfac  sanctorum  ctbium. 


LAUD  A,    SION.    SALVATOREM.  97 

When  this  sacred  feast  thou  makest, 
When  thou  but  a  morsel  breakest, 
Thou  the  Saviour  still  partakest — 

He  is  all  in  all  to  thee. 
By  the  sign  that  is  divided, 
Eeal  food,  for  thee  provided, 
Still  unbroke,  to  thee  confided, 

Jesus  doth  recall  to  thee. 
Angel  bread,  from  heaven  descended, 
Food  to  wanderers  here  extended, 
For  the  children's  bread  intended, 

Dogs  should  never  take  of  it. 
Isaac,  as  a  type,  promoted, 
And  the  Paschal  Lamb,  devoted, 
And  the  manna — all  denoted 

Only  His  might  break  of  it. 
Thou  Good  Shepherd,  Bread  of  Heaven ! 
Jesus,  let  us  be  forgiven ! 
Feed  and  guard  us  by  Thy  kindness, 
Take  us  from  our  earthly  blindness 

To  the  glory  giv'n  by  Thee. 
Thou,  all  powerful  and  all  knowing — 
Blessed  food  on  us  bestowing — 
At  Thy  Table  with  Thee  eating, 
Thy  coheirs  together  meeting, 

Let  us  dwell  in  heaven  with  Thee ! 

13 


ADAM  OF  ST.  VICTOR. 


The  Abbey  of  St.  Victor,  near  Paris,  was  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  religious  houses  in  France  seven  hun- 
dred years  ago — celebrated  for  its  learning,  its  theology, 
its  genuine  devotion,  and  its  fondness  for  sacred  lyrics. 
It  was,  hence,  the  home  and  resort,  as  well  as  the  parent 
and  teacher,  of  great  men.  Among  these  Adam,  a 
regular  canon  of  the  Abbey,  was  deservedly  held  in  very 
high  estimation  for  all  the  qualities  of  a  devout  and  learned 
man.  His  familiarity  with  the  Sacred  Scriptures  was 
most  remarkable,  and  evidently  could  have  been  the  result 
of  nothing  less  than  the  most  constant  reading,  and  the 
most  careful  study  and  comparison,  of  the  sacred  writers 
in  the  riper  years  of  his  cultivated  intellect.  The  Holy 
Word  seemed  to  be  almost  the  only  language  that  he 
knew — so  easily  and  gracefully  did  it  flow  from  his  pen 
in  the  harmonious  lines  of  his  lyrical  compositions,  of 
which  one  hundred  and  six  are  now  extant.  They 
all  have  the  same  general  characteristics  of  style  and 
versification,  and  in  them  all  we  are  continually  delighted 
with  the  felicity  as  well  as  the  facility  with  which  he 
writes,  while  he  is  sometimes  brief  and  sententious  with- 
out a  parallel. 


ADAM  OF  ST.    VICTOR.  97 

Trench,  in  his  Sacred  Latin  Poetry,  has  given  us  manj1 
of  the  host  of  his  lyrics,  so  many  and  so  various  that  we 
are  made  familiar  with  his  characteristics.  We  seem  to 
know  him.  The  only  one  of  these  which  I  have  selected 
for  this  little  book  is  his  poem  on  the  Martyrdom  of  St. 
Stephen,  which  Trench  calls  a  sublime  composition ;  and 
we  see  that  it  well  deserves  the  name,  when,  in  imagina- 
tion, we  take  the  place  of  the  old  monk  and  become  a 
spectator  of  that  first  martyrdom,  passing  with  him  from 
the  present  to  that  early  dawn  of  Christianity,  and  from 
the  description  of  the  bloody  scene,  to  the  rapt  ecstasy  in 
which  he  apostrophizes  the  suffering  saint  and  beholds  the 
sympathizing  Saviour  in  the  opening  heaven,  upholding 
him  and  strengthening  him  in  the  triumph  of  his  mar- 
tyrdom. 

Dr.  Trench  accords  to  him  the  highest  place  among  the 
writers  of  Latin  Sacred  Poetry,  but  not  without  some  doubt 
whether  that  honor  may  not  properly  belong  to  Arch- 
bishop Hildebert.  He  would  except  the  authors  of  the 
Dies  Irae  and  the  Stabat  Mater,  if  the  harps  on  which 
those  unequalled  strains  were  improvised  did  not  seem  to 
have  been  immediately  broken  into  silence. 

He  died  July  8,  1177,  and  his  epitaph,  written  by  him- 
self, was  preserved  for  several  hundred  years  on  the 
walls  of  the  Abbey,  near  the  door  of  the  choir,  where 
the  echo  of  his  hymns  had  been  so  often  heard.  The 
tone  of  penitent  humility,  and  the  impressive,  solemn, 
movement  of  the  epitaph,  have  induced  me  to  insert  it 
here  as  a  part  of  this  sketch,  to  exhibit  his  character,  by 
his  own  hand,  as  it  was  his  last  desire  to  appear. 


100 

EPITAPHIUM. 


peceati,  natura  filiug  ir&, 
ISzilitque  reus,  nascitur  omnte  ijomo. 

supedrit   Ijomo,  cujus   eonceptto 
eulpa, 
t  poenat  labor  btta,  necesge  mort? 

salus  Ijomtntgi^  banus  trecor,  om=: 
nta  bana- 

Snter  bana  niijtl  banius  est  ijomtne— 
29um   mast^  allutitt  pr^gentis    gloria 


tt,  tmmo  fugit—  non  fugtt,  immo 
perit. 

Ijomtnem  bermig,  post  bermem  fit 
dnte,  ijeu,  Ijeu  ! 

g>tc  retitt  atr  ctnerem  gloria  nostra  jsi 
ego  qui  jaceo,  miser  et 


SJnam  pro  summo  munere  poseo  pre= 

eem— 
^eccabi,  fateor,  bentam  peto,  parce  fa^ 

tenti, 

pater  ;  fratres  pareite  ;  paree 


IOI 

E  P  I  T  A  P  II . 


An  heir  of  sin  and  child  of  wrath  by  nature  here 

below, 
A  stranger  every  man  is  born — an  exile's  life  to 

know. 
Whence   doth   he   boast  himself  in  pride  whose 

thought  is  guilt,  innate, 
Whose  birth  is  pain,  whose  life  is  toil,  and  death 

his  only  fate  ? 
Vain  health  of  man,  vain  beauty  too,  vain  boast  of 

earthly  pride, 
Vain  thing  is  man,  among  the  vain,  vainer  than  all 

beside. 
The  glory  of  this  present  life,  what  time  it  doth 

delight, 
Doth  quickly  pass,  not  pass  but  fly,  not  fly  but 

perish  quite. 
And  then,  to  man  the  worm  succeeds,  and   after 

worms  the  dust, 
At  once  to  dust  he  must  return  with  every  earthly 

trust. 

And  I,  poor  Adam  lying  here,  'tis  mercy  all  I  need, 
One  only  prayer  I  now  can  make — for  heaven's 

last  gift  I  plead, 

My  sins  confess,  my  pardon  seek — oh  let  a  sinner  live ! 
Father,  and  brothers  in  the  faith,  and  God,  oh  God, 

forgive ! 


102 


DE.  S.  STEPHANO. 


mutttiugj  eiultabtt, 
iSt  eiultansi  celebrabtt 
OHjrtett  natalitta. 
i^eri  cijorus  angelorum 
^rosecutus  est  ccelorum 
Regent  cum  l&titta. 
^rotomartgr  et  Hebita, 
atlarus  fitoe,  darus  bita, 
(Elarus  et  imracults, 
Sub  Ijac  luce  ttiumpfjabtt, 
iSt  tctumpijans  insultabit 
Stepijanus  incretjults. 
fremunt  ergo  tanquam 
btctt  t»efecere 
atibersatti. 

tester  statuunt, 
linguasai  earacuunt 
Wperarum  ftlii. 
glgontsta,  nuUi  cetre— 
(fterta  certus  tre  mercetie, 


Jnsta 

OTonfuta  sermomtws 

SB  w  a  go  gam 


103 


ST.  STEPHEN. 


Yesterday  the  world,  elated, 
With  their  praises  celebrated 

Jesus  Christ's  nativity ; 
Angels,  then  their  voices  raising, 
Were  the  King  of  Heaven  praising, 

Joyful  in  festivity. 
Stephen,  proto-martyr,  Deacon, 
In  his  faith  and  life  a  beacon, 

Mighty,  too,  in  miracles, 
This  day,  to  his  triumph  rising, 
Was  in  triumph  then  despising 

Cruel  Jews  and  infidels. 
They  like  beasts  of  prey  were  raging, 
Their  secure  defeat  presaging, 

And  of  light  the  enemies — 
Lying  witnesses  providing, 
And  with  sharpened  tongues  deriding- 

Sons  of  vipers  venomous  ! 
Stephen,  strive,  thy  strife  enduring, 
And  thy  sure  reward  securing, 

Persevere  to  victory. 
Fear  not  witnesses  abounding, 
All  confute,  with  truth  confounding 

Satan's  desperate  synagogue. 


1  04  DE  S.  STEPHANO. 

jfortte  tuus  est  in  ccelte, 
ftestte  berax  et  nirelte, 
SEegtis  innocento. 
jBtomen  ijates  coronatt, 
tornunta  trecet  patt 
corona  gloria. 
corona  non  marcentt 
IJerfcr  trcbts  bun  tormcntt, 
manet  bictorta. 
t  ftet  ntors,  natalis, 

termtnalts 
liat  bit$  primortria. 
IBn  !  a  ircxtrts  Bet  stantcm 
,  pro  te  twmcantem, 

,  con^ttiera. 
ccelos  rcserart, 

um  rcbelart 
(tflama  boce  litera. 
^llcnuis  sancto  sptritu 
^cnctrat  intuttu 
Stepijanus  c^lcstta. 
Utoenis  Bet  glortam 
(JTrescit  atr  btctoriam, 
ati  pr^mia. 

commentrat  Salbatort, 
(|uo  trulce  tructt  inort 


serbat  omnium 
lapitianttum, 
Hapfoans  in  omnitus. 


ST.  STEPHEN.  105 

In  the  skies  thy  witness  liveth, 
And,  in  faith  and  truth,  he  giveth 

Fullest  proof  of  innocence. 
Crowne'd  is  the  name  thou  wearest, 
And  the  tortures  that  thou  bearest 

Give  thy  crown  its  radiance. 
For  a  crown  of  light,  unfading, 
Meet  the  force  of  pain,  invading — 

Victory  shall  remain  with  thee. 
Death  to  thee  becometh  natal, 
For  its  final  pang  so  fatal, 

Giveth  endless  life  to  thee. 
See,  by  God's  right  hand  is  standing 
Jesus,  for  thee  help  commanding — 

Stephen,  see  he  aideth  thee ; 
For  thee,  heavenly  gates  unsealing, 
For  thee,  Christ  the  Lord  revealing — 

Cry  unto  him  earnestly. 
Stephen  is  to  heaven  gazing, 
On  the  heavenly  scenes  amazing — 

Holy  Ghost  sustaining  him ; 
God's  full  glory  to  him  showing, 
While  to  victory  he  is  going — 

Love  and  hope  constraining  him. 
To  the  Lord  his  soul  commending, 
Sweet  he  finds  the  death  impending, 

While  the  stones  are  bruising  him ; 
And  young  Saul,  the  garments  holding 
Of  those  stoning,  is  upholding, 

And,  himself,  is  using  them. 
11 


IO6 


DE  S.  STEPHANO. 


fie  peccatum  statuatut 
?$te,  a  quttus  laptoatur 
<§enu  pontt  et  prccatur, 


Ju  ^Tijrtisto  #it  otlwrmibtt, 
€|ut  (Jtljristo  stc  otetitbtt, 
lEt  cum  (Eijristo  gempei:  bibit, 
Jftartgrum  prtmtttce. 


ST.  STEPHEN. 

"  Lord  forgive  them,"  hear  him  saying, 
For  the  men  who  him  are  slaying, 
On  his  bended  knee  now  praying — 

Praying  God  to  pardon  them. 
Thus,  in  Christ,  the  martyr  sleeping, 
To  him  thus  obedience  keeping, 
In  him  liveth  without  weeping — 

First  fruits  these  of  martyrdom. 


io8 


DIES    IB  J3. 


"  Of  all  the  Latin  hymns  of  the  Church,  this  has  the 
widest  fame.  The  grand  use  which  Goethe  has  made 
of  it  in  his  Faust  may  have  helped  to  bring  it  to  the 
knowledge  of  some  who  would  not  otherwise  have  known 
it,  or,  if  they  had,  would  not  have  believed  its  worth,  if 
the  sage  and  seer  of  this  world,  a  prophet  of  their  own, 
had  not  thus  set  his  seal  of  recognition  upon  it.  To 
another  illustrious  man  this  hymn  was  eminently  dear. 
How  affecting  is  that  incident  recorded  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott  by  his  biographer,  how,  in  those  last  days  of  his, 
when  all  of  his  great  mind  had  failed,  or  was  failing,  he 
was  yet  heard  to  murmur  to  himself  some  lines  of  this 
hymn,  an  especial  favorite  with  him  in  other  days.  Nor 
is  it  hard  to  account  for  its  wide  and  general  popularity. 
The  metre,  so  grandly  devised,  of  which  I  remember  no 
other  example,  fitted  though  it  has  here  shown  itself  for 
bringing  out  some  of  the  noblest  powers  of  the  Latin 
language;  the  solemn  effort  of  the  triple  rhyme,  which 
has  been  likened  to  blow  following  blow  of  the  hammer 
on  the  anvil;  the  confidence  of  the  poet  in  the  univer- 
sal interest  of  his  theme,  a  confidence  which  has  made 
him  set  out  his  matter  with  so  majestic  and  unadorned 
a  plainness  as  at  once  to  be  intelligible  to  all — these 
merits,  with  many  more,  have  given  the  Dies  Tree  a  fore- 


DIES  IRJE.  109 

most  place  among  the  master-pieces  of  sacred  song."- 
TRENCH. 

Its  great  power,  its  universal  sympathy  with  every 
man,  lios  in  its  absolute  selfishness — not  in  a  bad  sense, 
in  the  highest  and  purest  and  best  sense — and  in  the 
sincerity  and  earnestness  of  its  simple  and  natural  lan- 
guage. It  is  the  language  of  one  man,  in  relation  to 
himself  alone,  in  view  of  the  awful  realities  of  that  ulti- 
mate responsibility  which  all  right-minded  men  so  often 
feel,  and  which  all  men,  the  most  hardened  even,  some- 
times feel  with  great  solemnity.  The  conflagration,  the 
judge,  the  trumpet,  the  book,  the  whole  scene,  are  men- 
tioned only  to  give  force  to  the  exclamation,  "  Quid  sum, 
miser  I  tune  dicturus?  "  "What  can  I  then  say?"  And 
every  confession  and  every  prayer  is  for  individual  self,  and 
is  a  renunciation  of  all  hope,  except  through  the  free  grace 
of  Christ.  The  last  stanza  is  omitted  in  some  copies. 
Trench  omits  it,  as  do  some  others.  If  it  be  translated, 
as  it  sometimes  is,  as  a  prayer  for  the  salvation  of  all 
mankind  at  the  last  day,  then  it  certainly  is  not  in  har- 
mony with  the  rest  of  the  hymn,  and  ought  to  be  omitted. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  it  be  translated  as  it  is  here,  and 
has  been  by  some  others,  and  as  it  clearly  should  be, 
rendering  the  last  line  "Spare  me,"  then  the  last  stanza, 
instead  of  being  feeble  and  inconsequent,  becomes  a  har- 
monious and  proper  close  of  a  hymn  with  such  a  beginning. 

It  is  usually  ascribed  to  Thomas  of  Celano.  an  Italian 
monk  of  the  thirteenth  century ;  but  I  think,  with  Trench, 
that  there  is  no  certainty — I  should  say  but  little  proba- 
bility— that  the  authorship  belongs  to  him. 


no 


DIES     IR1E  . 


Bies  ir#,  tries  ilia! 
J&olbet  sfcdum  in  fabilia, 
Ceste  Babtii  cum  Sgbilla. 
(Jluantus  tremor  est  futurus, 
<®uanfco  Sutie*  est  benturus, 
OTuncta  stricte  tutecussurus. 

mirum  sspargens  sonum 
septilcra  regtonum, 
omnes  ante  tfjronum. 
stupettt,  et  natura, 
regurget  creatura, 
Jutiicanti  responsura. 
Hiter  scriptus  proferetur, 
5n  quo  totunt  continetur, 
Bnlie  muntius  jufcicetur. 
Jutiex  ergo  cum  isetieijtt, 

latet,  apparettt : 
inultum  remanebit. 
gum,  miser!  tune  fcicturus 
patronum  rogaturus, 
<®uum  bix  Justus  sit  securus  ? 


Ill 


THE   DAY   OF   WRATH. 


Day  of  threatened  wrath  from  heaven, 
To  the  sinful,  unforgiven  ! 
Earth  on  fire,  to  ashes  driven ! 
Oh,  the  guilty,  how  affrighted ! 
That  each  wrong  shall  then  be  righted, 
And  with  blazing  truth  be  lighted  ! 
Loud  the  trumpet  will  be  blowing, 
All  on  earth  the  sound  be  knowing, 
And  to  answer  will  be  going. 
Death  amazed  will  then  be  quaking — 
As  the  dead  of  ages  waking, 
Shall  their  fearful  doom  be  taking. 
From  the  Book  then  opened  newly, 
Every  sinful  deed  must,  duly, 
Then  be  heard  and  answered  truly. 
God,  the  Judge,  will  then  be  dealing, 
"With  each  hidden  thought  and  feeling, 
And  the  last  award  be  sealing. 
What  shall  wretched  I  be  saying? 
To  what  Friend  for  help  be  praying  ? 
Fear  the  righteous  then  dismaying ! 


I  I  '2  DIES 


trementrae  majestatis, 
i  salban&os  salbas  gratis, 

me,  tons  pietatis  ! 
iftecortrare,  Jesu  pie, 
<®uotr  sum  causa  tuae  biae  ; 
iBte  me  pertras  ilia  trie  ! 
(Slu&rens  me,  setibti  lassus, 
l£tetiemtstt,  crucem  passus  : 
Eantus  lator  non  sit  cassus. 
Juste  Julre*  ulttonis, 
JBonum  fac  remissionis 
^Inte  triem  rationts. 
Jugemisco  tanquam  reus, 
otulpa  rutet  bultus  meus  ; 
Supplicanti  parce,  lieus  ! 
(Slut  J&atiam  atsolbisti, 
iEt  latronem  exautiisti, 
iiliiji  quoque  spem  tretristi. 
mm  non  stint  ijigna?, 
u  tonus  fac  jbenigne 
perenni  cremer  igne  ! 
Jnter  obes  locum  gra^sta, 
3Et  at  ij^is  me  sequestra, 
Statuens  in  parte  trextra. 
(Stonfutatis  maletrictis, 
$  lammis  acritus  atrtrictis, 
IJoca  me  cum  tenetiictis! 
supple*  et  acclinis, 
conttitum  quasi  cints, 
curam  met  tints. 


DIES 


King  of  Kings,  all  powers  enthralling, 
Without  price  Thy  chosen  calling, 
Pity,  save  my  soul  from  falling  ! 
Jesus,  cradled  in  a  manger  — 
For  my  sake  on  earth  a  stranger  — 
Save  me  in  that  day  of  danger  ! 
For  me  weary,  all  things  needing  — 
On  the  cross  in  anguish  bleeding  — 
Do  not  lose  such  toil  and  pleading! 
God  the  righteous,  never  sleeping  ! 
Oh  !  forgive  a  sinner  weeping  ! 
While  Thy  love  is  mercy  keeping  ! 
Lost  without  Thy  blood  atoning  — 
Blushes  mingling  with  my  groaning  — 
Spare  my  soul  in  sorrow  moaning  ! 
Sinful  Mary  Thou  forgavest, 
And  the  dying  thief  Thou  savedst, 
Ground  of  hope  to  me  Thou  gavest 
Prayers  unworthy  to  Thee  sending, 
Be  Thy  goodness  still  befriending  ; 
Save  me  from  the  fire  unending  ! 
With  Thy  chosen  flock  forever, 
When  the  sheep  and  goats  shall  sever 
On  Thy  right  hand  keep  me  ever  ! 
When,  in  fire,  the  cursed  gather, 
Let  me  hear  Thee  saying,  rather, 
"  Come,  thou  blessed  of  my  Father  !" 
Trusting  to  Thy  goodness  wholly  — 
Crushed  in  heart,  and  bending  lowly  —  • 
Save  at  last,  Thou  Just  and  Holy  ! 

15 


I  I  4  DIES 


ILacrgmosa  tries  ilia! 
<®ua  resurget  tx  fabilla, 
JutJicantrus  Ijomo  tens  ; 
ergo  parce,  Jieus  ! 


LIES  IR^.  I  I  5 

In  that  day  when,  weeping,  quaking, 
Man  shall  rise,  from  dust  awaking, 
In  thine  arms,  0  Jesus !  bear  me — 
From  Thy  curses,  God,  oh  1  spare  me ! 


u6 


THE  DAY  OP   WRATH. 

ANOTHER  VERSION. 

Day  of  wrath  1  that  final  day, 
Shall  the  world  in  ashes  lay ! 
David  and  the  Sibyl  say. 
Oh !  what  trembling  there  shall  be, 
When  the  coming  Judge  we  see, 
All  to  try  impartially ! 
When  the  trumpet's  awful  sound 
Bursts  the  graves  beneath  the  ground, 
Calling  all  the  throne  around. 
Death  amazed,  and  Nature,  too, 
See  the  dead  arise  to  view, 
To  their  just  and  final  due. 
There  the  record  will  be  shown, 
In  which  everything  is  known, 
Whence  to  judge  the  world  alone. 
When  the  Judge  is  seated,  then 
Shall  each  sin  appear  again — 
Not  unpunished  one  remain. 
Wretched  me !  what  shall  I  say? 
Who  will  plead  for  me  that  day, 
When  the  just  themselves  must  pray? 


DIES  HUE. 

King  of  Majesty  divine ! 
Freely  saving  who  are  Thine, 
Save  me,  Fount  of  Love  divine ! 
Blessed  Jesus !  think,  I  pray, 
For  me  was  Thy  weary  way — 
Do  not  lose  me  in  that  day ! 
Sought  by  Thee  in  toil  and  pain, 
By  Thy  cross  redeemed  again, 
Let  Thy  sufferings  not  be  vain  ! 
Judge  I  Thy  vengeance,  oh !  delay  ; 
Grant  me  pardon,  here  I  pray, 
Now,  before  that  reckoning  day. 
Humbly  I  my  sorrow  speak, 
Blushes  burn  my  guilty  cheek, 
Spare  me,  God,  while  thus  I  seek ; 
Mary,  Thy  free  grace  forgave, 
Grace  the  dying  thief  did  save, 
Hope  of  grace  to  me  it  gave. 
All  unworthy  is  my  prayer, 
But  thy  goodness  still  declare ; 
Let  me  not  in  flames  despair ! 
"When  Thy  sheep,  by  Thy  command, 
From  the  goats  divided  stand, 
Place  me  then  on  Thy  right  hand. 
When  the  curse'd  in  their  shame 
Writhe  in  everlasting  flame, 
With  the  blessed  call  my  name. 
Bowed  and  lowly,  hear  my  cry ! 
See  my  heart  in  ashes  lie ! 
Oh !  protect  me  when  I  die  ! 


DIES  IRJE. 


On  that  final  day  of  tears, 
When  before  Thy  bar  appears 
Man,  from  ashes  risen  again, 
Spare  me,  God,  oh !  spare  me  then  ! 


THE   DAY   OF   WRATH. 


ANOTHER   VEUSIOX. 


Day  of  wrath,  with  vengeance  glowing, 
Seer  and  Sybil  long  foreknowing ! 
Earth  and  time  to  ruin  going  ! 
How  the  guilty  world  will  tremble 
When  the  Judge  shall  all  assemble, 
And  not  one  will  dare  dissemble ! 
When  the  trumpet's  summons,  swelling 
Through  Death's  dark  and  dusty  dwelling, 
To  the  throne  is  all  compelling ! 
Death  with  fear  will  then  be  quailing, 
As  the  dead  of  ages,  wailing, 
Rise  to  judgment,  without  failing. 
Then  the  book  of  God's  own  writing — 
Truth  alone  the  pages  lighting — • 
Will  be  guilty  souls  indicting, 
Every  secret  thought  and  feeling, 
To  the  Judge  at  once  revealing, 
None  excusing,  none  concealing. 


DIES  IR^E.  l  l  9 


How  shall  wretched  I  be  pleading  ? 
Through  what  patron  interceding, 
When  the  just  are  mercy  needing? 
King,  all  majesty  expressing, 
By  free  grace,  Thy  saved  possessing, 
Save  me,  Fount  of  heavenly  blessing  ! 
Jesus,  think  what  woes  thou  tasted, 
While  for  me  to  death  thou  hasted  ; 
Let  them  not  at  last  be  wasted. 
Thou  didst  seek  me,  sad  and  sighing, 
God  forsaken  in  Thy  dying  ! 
Be  not  fruitless  all  Thy  trying. 
Righteous  Judge,  thy  wrath  delaying, 
Pardon  me  while  I  am  praying  ! 
While  the  day  of  grace  is  staying. 
Groaning,  guilty,  hear  me  speaking  ! 
Blushes,  sin  and  shame  bespeaking  ; 
Spare  me,  Lord,  thy  pardon  seeking. 
Sinful  Mary  was  forgiven, 
Thou  didst  call  the  thief  to  heaven, 
Hope  to  me  was  also  given. 
Worthless  are  the  prayers  I'm  raising  ; 
Save  me  by  Thy  grace,  amazing, 
From  the  fire  for  ever  blazing  ! 
From  the  goats,  0  Lord,  divide  me  ! 
And  among  Thy  sheep,  beside  Thee, 
On  Thy  right,  my  place  provide  me. 
When  the  curse'd,  downward  driven, 
To  eternal  flames  are  given, 
Call  me  with  the  blest  to  heaven. 


I  2O  DIES 


Listen,  Lord,  to  my  petition  — 
Crushed  in  heart,  in  deep  contrition  — 
Save,  oh  I  save  me,  from  perdition. 
On  that  day  of  bitter  weeping, 
When  from  dust  and  mortal  sleeping, 
Man  is  called  to  final  hearing, 
Spare  me,  God,  on  my  appearing  ! 


121 


THOMAS  A  KBMPIS. 


Thomas  a  Kempis — Thomas  Hamerken  of  Campeu  or 
Kempen — was  born  at  Kempen  in  the  Province  of  Over 
Yssel  in  Holland  in  1380.  He  was  educated  at  the 
University  of  Deventer,  the  Capital  of  the  province,  and 
afterwards  entered  among  members  of  the  Monastery  of 
Mount  St.  Agnes,  of  the  Order  of  St.  Augustin.  He 
there  displayed  great  piety,  patience  and  self-denial.  He 
joined  the  Order  of  the  Brothers  of  the  Common  Life, 
which  was  first  established  at  Deventer,  by  Gerhard,  the 
great,  who  was  a  native  of  Over  Yssel.  The  members 
of  that  order  had  no  monastic  vows  and  devoted  their 
lives  to  preaching  and  to  teaching  letters  and  religion  to 
the  young,  supporting  themselves  by  their  industry, 
which  they  applied,  principally,  to  copying  books.  He 
died  in  1471,  in  the  91st  year  of  his  age. 

Wherever  the  Gospel  is  preached,  the  influence  of  this 
devout  man  is  felt.  The  "Imitation  of  Christ,"  which  is 
now  generally  attributed  to  him,  next  after  the  Bible  has 
been  more  frequently  printed  and  more  widely  read,  than 
any  other  religious  book.  It  has  been  translated  into 
every  Christian  language,  and  has  been  the  welcome  com- 
panion of  devout  Christians  of  every  denomination.  It  is 
said  that  a  traveling  monk  found  an  Arabic  copy  of  it 
in  the  library  of  a  king  of  Morocco,  which  his  Moorish 
majesty  prized  beyond  all  his  other  books. 

The  following  is  considered  the  best  of  his  poems. 
16 


122 


DE  GAUDIIS  CCELESTIBUS. 


angelorum  eijori, 
iUutres  cantant  OTreatori, 
i&egem  cernunt  in  ireeore, 
Umant  cortre,  laufcant  ore* 
£i)mpani?ant,  eitljarijant, 
Uolant  altgs,  gtaut  in 
Sonant  nolte,  fulgent 
iSToram  g>umma 
(jTlamant  S^ctus,  Sanctum, 

jfugtt  tiolor,  ce^isat  planctuis 
3n  guperna  eibitate. 
OToneor^  box  est  omnium, 
3ieum  collautrentium. 
jFerbet  amor  mentium 
(ttlare  eontuentium, 
$3eatam  Crinitatem  in  una  Bettate, 
<®uam  atrorant  gtrapijim 
,iFerbenti  in  amore, 
^enerantur  (Kijerubtm 
Jngenti  sut  ijonore— 

nimis  Cftroni  tre  tanta 
tate. 


THE  JOYS  OF  HEAVEN. 


Angel  clioirs  on  high  are  singing, 
To  the  Lord  their  praises  bringing, 
Yielding  him  in  royal  beauty 
Heart  and  voice,  in  love  and  duty ; 
Waving  wings  the  throne  surrounding, 
Timbrels,  harps,  and  bells  are  sounding, 
See  their  heavenly  vestments  glisten, 
To  their  heavenly  nrnsic  listen ; 
Hear  them,  by  the  Godhead  staying, 
Holy,  holy,  holy,  saying. 

None  that  grieveth,  or  complaineth, 
In  that  heavenly  land  remaineth — 
Every  voice,  in  concord  joining 
Holy  praise  to  God  combining. 
Holy  love  their  minds  disposeth, 
Heavenly  light  to  all  discloseth 
Blessed  Three  in  God  united — 
Seraphs  worshipping  delighted, 
Sweet  affection  overflowing — 
Cherubim  their  rev'rence  showing, 
Bowing  low,  their  pinions  folding — 
God's  majestic  throne  beholding. 


124  DE  GAUDIIS  CCELEST1BUS. 

<SHj  quam  predara  regio  ! 
ISt  quam  tiecora  legto 
IB*  augelte  et  Ijomimtus ! 
©lj  glortosa  cibitas, 
Jn  qua  gumma  trauquiUttas, 
iltix  et  pax  in  cunctis  fimtwg ! 
ijujus  cibttatts 
ntteut  cagtitatts, 
Ecgem  ten  cut  caritatte, 
jptrmum  pactum  unttattg. 
latorant,  nil  ignorant, 
tentantur,  nee  besantut, 
S»empet  sani,  semper  teti, 
€unctis  tonis!  sum  repleti. 


THE  JO  YS  OF  HE  A  YEN.  j  2  - 

Oh !  what  fair  and  heavenly  region  ! 
Oh  !  what  bright  and  glorious  legion, 
Saints  and  angels,  all  excelling  ! 
In  that  glorious  city  dwelling, 
Which  in  rest  divine  reposeth, 
And  sweet  light  and  peace  discloseth  I 
Every  one  who  there  resideth, 
Clad  in  purity  abideth, 
Charity  their  spirits  joining — 
Firm  in  unity  combining — 
Toil  nor  ign'rance  undergoing — • 
Trouble  nor  temptation  knowing : 
Always  health  and  joy  undying, 
To  them  every  good  supplying. 


126 


THE  DAY  OF  DEATH. 

DAMIANI. 

ST.  PETKB  DAMIANI  was  an  illustrious  Doctor  of  the 
Catholic  Church  in  the  eleventh  century.  He  was  born 
at  Ravenna,  about  the  year  1006,  and  he  died  at  Faenza, 
in  1072.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a  swine-herd  in  his 
youth,  and  to  have  been  taken  from  that  humble  employ- 
ment by  his  brother,  who  was  Archdeacon  of  Ravenna, 
and  educated  under  his  care.  On  the  completion  of  his 
studies  he  quit  the  world  and  entered  the  Hermitage  of 
Font-Avellana,  and  in  1061  was  made  Abbot  of  it.  He 
was  so  much  impressed  with  the  crimes  and  vices  of  the 
age  in  which  he  lived,  many  of  which  had  entered  the 
Church,  that  he  devoted  his  energies  to  their  reformation, 
especially  so  far  as  the  clergy  were  concerned,  and  with 
the  greatest  zeal  cooperated  with  the  popes  of  his  time, 
Gregory  VI.,  Clement  II.,  Leo  IX.,  Victor  II.,  and 
Stephen  IX.,  in  their  efforts  to  reform  the  Church. 
Stephen  created  him  Cardinal  Bishop  of  Ostia.  The 
ostentation  of  that  office,  however,  ill-befitted  his  love 
of  solitude  and  devotion,  and  he  resigned  his  hat  and 
returned  to  the  Hermitage  as  a  simple  monk,  ten  years 
before  he  died.  He  was  several  times  called  out  of  it 
to  perform  missions  of  great  importance,  but  in  the  midst 
of  courts,  as  well  as  in  the  Hermitage,  he  lived  in  pov- 
erty and  austerity. 


THE  DA  Y  OF  DBA  TH. 

The  following  hymn,  De  Die  Mortis,  is  among  the  best 
of  his  many  poems.  I  take  it  from  Trench.  I  do  not 
know  whether  it  has  been  before  translated.  I  have 
selected  it  for  its  solemn  movement,  its  descriptive 
details,  its  striking  images,  its  devout  aspirations,  and 
its  impressive  doctrine — all  in  harmony  with  the  subject. 

In  a  note  to  this  devout  hymn  of  Damiani,  Trench 
copies  at  length  the  hymn  of  the  Cygnus  Exspirans, 
which  I  have  inserted  here  for  its  striking  contrast  with 
the  De  Die  Mortis,  and  for  its  beauty  as  well.  It  is  found 
in  some  modern  collections  of  mediaeval  hymns,  without 
the  name,  so  far  as  I  know,  of  even  a  supposed  author, 
and  it  seems  to  lack  the  marks  as  well  as  the  unction 
of  mediaeval  song — hardly  hinting  at  religion.  With  the 
exception  of  one  or  two  stanzas,  it  might,  so  far  as 
Christianity  is  concerned,  have  been  written  by  Epicurus. 
Trench  says  of  it:  "I  know  no  fitter  place  to  append 
a  poem  which  can  claim  no  room  in  the  body  of  this 
collection,  being  almost  without  any  distinctly  Christian 
element  whatever,  and  little  more  than  a  mere  worldly 
lamentation  at  leaving  a  world  which  he  knows  he  has 
abused,  yet  would  willingly,  if  he  might,  continue  still 
longer  to  abuse.  But  even  from  that,  something  may  be 
learned,  and  there  is  a  force  and  originality  about  the 
composition  which  make  me  willing  to  insert  it  here, 
especially  as  it  is  very  far  from  common.  I  would  gladly 
know  something  more  about  it."  The  title  found  in  the 
books  is  retained  here,  although  I  once  caused  it  to  be 
published  under  the  title  of  The  Dying  Voluptuary. 


128 


DE  DIE  MORTIS. 


<§rabi  me  terrore  pulsag,  bite  tries  ul= 

tima ; 

jfftoeret  cor,  soibuntur  reneg,  tesa  tre^ 
mum  biscera, 

jspeciem  trum  sitt  tneng  tieptngtt 
arista. 

entm  pabentrum  tllutr  ea:pUcet 
spectaculum, 
<!|uum,  j&tmengo  bit$  cursu,  carntg  cegra 

nextfcus 
Enima  luctatur  solbt,  propinquans  a& 

exitum? 
petit  sensus,  imgua  riget,  resolbuntur 

ocuii, 
pertug  palpitat,  anijelat  raucum  guttur 

ijominis, 
Stupent  memfcra,  paUent  ora,  trecor  attt 

corporte. 
^r^gto  stmt  et  cogttatus,  betta,  cur= 

sus,  opera, 

IBt  pr$   oculis    nolentis    glomerantur 
omnia : 


129 


THE  DAY  OF  DEATH. 


With  terror  thou  dost  strike  me  now,  life's  fear- 
ful dying  day — • 

My  heart  is  sad,  my  loins  are  weak,  my  spirit  faints 
away, 

While  to  my  saddened  soul,  thy  sight  my  anxious 

thoughts  display. 

Who  can  that  dreadful  sight  describe,  or  without 
trembling  see, 

When  from  the  ended  course  of  life,  the  weary  soul 
would  flee, 

And,  sick  of  all  the  bonds  of  flesh,  it  struggles  to 

be  free  ? 

The  senses  fail,  the  tongue  is  stiff,  the  eyes  uncer- 
tain stray — 

The  panting  breath  and  gasping  throat,  the  coming 
end  betray — 

From  palsied  limbs  and  pallid  lips  all  charm  has 

fled  away. 

Now  spring  at  once  to  view,  past  thoughts  and 
words  and  deeds  and  life — 

Before  unwilling  eyes  they  come,   all  crowding 
fresh  and  rife, 

17 


j  ~o  DE  DIE  MORTIS. 

JUuc  tentiat,  ljuc  se  bertat,  coram  btoet 

posita. 

£ir(juet  ipsa  reum  stnum  inertia*  con^ 
jscientia, 

apta  corrigeutji  tiefluragie  tem= 
pora; 

luctu  caret  fructu  seta  pomiten^ 
tta. 
3? alsa  tune  trulcetio  earntg  in  amarum 

bertitur, 
<&uanlro  jbrebem  boluptatem  perpeg  ptena 

sequttut ; 
Jam  quoti  magnum  cretietatur  nil  fuisse 

cernitur. 

(Jlu^gci,  (jnjrtete,  rex  inbiete,tu  gueeurre 
misiero, 

extrema  mortis  ijora  cum  jussus 
atiero, 

in  me  jus  tgranno  priebeatur 
impto. 
(!Tatiat  princeps  tenebrarum,  catiat  pars 

tartarea ; 

Castor,  obem  jam  retiemptam  tune  retjue 
ati  patriam, 

i  te  bftenTu  causa  perfruar  in 
ula, 


TUE  DA  Y  OF  DEA  TIL  j  ~  j 

And  stand  revealed  before  the  mind,  that  shrinks 

with  timid  strife. 

And  biting  conscience  tortures  now  the  trem- 
bling, guilty,  breast, 

And  weeps  the  loss  of  perished  hours,  that  might 
have  given  rest — 

Too  late  repentance,  full  of  grief,  no  proper  fruit 

has  blessed. 

Of  the  false  sweetness  of  the  flesh,  what  bitter- 
ness remains, 

When  the  brief  pleasure  of  this  life,  is  turned  to 
endless  pains, 

And  all  life's  idols  here  below,  the  dying  hour  dis- 
dains. 

I  pray  Thee,  Jesus,  grant  me,  then,  Thine  own 
almighty  aid, 

When  I  shall  enter  at  the  last,  in  death's  dark 
valley  shade — 

Let  not  the  tyrant  foe,  I  pray,  my  trembling  soul 

invade. 

0  !  from  the  Prince  of  Darkness,  then,  and  helFs 
,  dark  prison  save  ! 

And  take  me  ransomed  to  Thy  home,  Good  Shep- 
herd, now  I  crave, 

Where  I  may  live  in  endless  life,  with  Thee  be- 
yond the  grave. 


132 


CYGNUS  EXSPIRANS. 


3|arentrum  est,  cetrentwm  est, 
datrtreniia  btt&  scena ; 
ISst  jacta  sots,  me  bocat  mors, 
i^$c  ijora  est  posttema : 
ITalete  res,  balete  spes ; 
S>tc  finit  cantilena. 

©  magna  lux,  sol,  muntii  trus, 
iBst  concetrentium  fatts ; 
Buc  lineam  eclipttcam, 
ittiiji  luxistt  satis : 
j^ox  incubat;  fax  occtoit; 
Jam  portum  subit  ratis. 

&u  (Egntijta  argentea, 
l^os,  autet  planets, 
(Eum  stellulis,  ocellulis, 
jBtepotitus  lucete ; 
jf  atalta,  letalia 
ffii  nunctant  comets. 

3Ter  centies,  tet  milltes 
Uale,  tmmunlie  muntre ! 
Jnstafcilts  et  latilis, 
Uale,  ortis  rotunfce ! 


'33 


THE  DYING  SWAN. 


I  must  obey,  I  may  not  stay, 
The  scene  of  life  is  ending, 
The  lot  is  cast,  Death  calls  at  last, 
My  final  hour's  impending. 
Farewell  estate  and  hopes  elate — 
All  like  a  song  are  ending. 

Thou  glorious  sun,  my  day  is  done, 
But  thou,  thy  journey  keeping, 
Go  on  thy  way,  great  king  of  day — 
I  must  in  death  be  sleeping. 
Night's  pall  is  spread,  the  light  is  fled, 
My  bark  to  port  is  sweeping. 

Thou  moon  serene  with  silver  sheen, 
Ye  planets  golden  seeming, 
And  little  eyes  that  star  the  skies, 
For  my  descendants  beaming, 
The  Fates'  decree  of  death  to  me, 
Is  told  by  comets  streaming. 

Three  hundred  times,  three  thousand  times 
Farewell,  thou  world  defiling, 
Unsteady  thou  and  slippery  now, 
Farewell,  with  all  thy  smiling. 


CYGNUS  EXSPIRJNS. 


fallactig, 
Hustett  me  attintie. 

Hucentia,  fulgentta 
<§emmte  balete  tecta, 
g>t\i  marmore,  seu  etore 
Supra  nutes  erecta. 
parbulum  me  loculum 
urget  equte  becta. 

«  specie 
me 


mentem 

iSu  oculos,  Ijeu  ! 
ISJCtinguit  umtra 

Criputiia,  tithttiia, 
IEt  fescenmni  djori, 
(Jluiesctte,  taucescite  ; 
titbtnt  fori, 
intonat  et  insonat 
leissum  ;  SJebes  mort, 

lautittee 
ftten^arum  eum  eultna  ; 
(Jellaria,  tellarta, 
IEt  eoronata  bina, 
Uos  nauseo,  twin  ijaurto 
(J^uem  sscgpijum  mors  propinat. 

,  putrescite, 
,  besttmenta  ; 
Migesctte,  treliet^, 


TEE  DYING  SWAN. 

With  falsehoods  sweet  and  artful  cheat 
No  longer  me  beguiling. 

Ye  castles  bright,  with  gems  bedight, 
Farewell !  in  air  erected, 
With  marble  walls  or  ivory  halls, 
In  Fancy's  skies  reflected. 
I  seek  my  bed  among  the  dead, 
By  Death's  pale  steeds  directed. 

Ye  beauties  rare,  whose  charms  so  fair, 
My  captive  sense  delighted; 
Delirious  dream  of  love  supreme 
That  all  my  mind  excited, 
Your  siren  eyes,  where  danger  lies, 
Are  now  in  death  benighted. 

Ye  dances  vain  and  sports  profane, 
In  wanton  chorus  singing, 
Be  still  I  pray,  your  orgies  stay, 
God's  summons  now  is  ringing — 
His  crier,  Death,  with  startling  breath 
My  mortal  sentence  bringing. 

Delights  of  life  with  luxury  rife, 
The  table's  social  pleasure ; 
The  dainty  meats,  the  honeyed  sweets, 
And  wine-cup's  crowned  treasure. 
I  loathe  you  all,  while  Death  doth  call 
To  pledge  his  brimming  measure. 

Haste  ye  away,  fade  and  decay. 
Ye  rich  perfumes  and  dresses  ; 
Be  cold  and  stale,  ye  pleasures  frail, 


I  j  6  CTGNUS  EXSPIRANS. 

tUbtomum  fomenta ! 
Hefonmum  me  bermtum 
J&anettt  opertmenta. 

culmina,  Ijeu!  fulmina, 
m  fugax  Ijonorum, 
sutito  tium  sufceo 
IBternttattis  iromum. 
l^ttiicult  gum  tttult ; 
J^oris  et  agunt  momum. 
Eectisstmt,  cartssimt 
Emtci  et  soimles, 
!  msolens  et  t 
is  tnterturtat 
lusttus  tntiui 
i&xtremum  titco  bale ! 

£u  trentque,  corpus,  bale, 
£e,  te  ettattt  forum ; 
£e  consetum,  te  soctum 
Bolorum  et  gautriorum! 
^Squalts  nos  expectat  sors— 
Bonorum  bel  malorum. 


THE  DYING  SWAN.  j  ~~ 

Provoking  love's  caresses. 

Foul  worms  shall  dress,  in  loathsomeness, 

The  grave  my  body  presses. 

On  glory's  height,  what  bolts  may  light  1 
I  leave  these  honors  fleeting ; 
As  hence  I  go,  my  fate  to  know, 
Eternity  now  meeting. 
Title  and  fame  and  noble  name, 
How  worthless  and  how  cheating ! 

Ye  chosen  few,  my  comrades  true, 
Dear  friends  my  pleasure  sharing; 
Insulting  Death  stops  every  breath, 
No  wit  or  wisdom  sparing : 
And  here  to-day  I  leave  our  play, 
My  last  farewell  declaring. 

Body,  farewell !  thy  fate  I  tell, 
This  final  summons  hearing ; 
Thou  too  hast  known  and  called  thine  own, 
My  griefs  and  joys  endearing. 
Body  and  mind,  in  life  combined, 
One  goal  are  always  near  ing. 

18 


PRUDENTIUS. 


AURELIUS  CLEMENS  PRUDKNTIUS  was  a  native  of 
Spain,  bora  in  the  year  348.  He  was  bred  a  lawyer,  and 
although  his  youth  was  stained  with  follies  and  vices 
upon  which,  in  later  life,  he  looked  back  with  shame  and 
disgust,  and  his  professional  career  was  less  characterized 
by  a  love  of  justice  than  an  unscrupulous  strife  for 
success,  he  filled  many  high  civil  and  military  stations 
under  the  Emperors  Theodosius,  and  his  sons,  Arcadius 
and  Honorius,  including  eminent  judicial  positions,  in 
which  he  says : 

Bis  legura  moderamine 

Frenos  nobiliura  reximus  urbium, 

Jus  civile  bonis  redidimus,  terruimus  reos. 

He  finally  withdrew  from  the  honors  and  employments 
of  the  world,  to  the  quiet  of  a  religious  and  literary  life. 
He  wrote  many  poems  of  great  but  unequal  merit,  all  of 
them  exhibiting  the  characteristic  culture  of  a  man  of  the 
world,  whose  philosophic  mind,  trained  in  the  schools  and 
versed  in  the  sharpening  activities  of  earnest  professional 
and  public  life,  had  voluntarily  left  those  profane  honors 
and  enjoyments  for  the  purer  tastes  and  higher  pleasures 
of  humility  and  devotion.  His  Cathemerinon  is  consid- 


PRUDENTIUS. 


ered  the  best  of  his  works.  It  consists  of  a  collection  of 
poems  appropriate  to  the  duties  of  daily  life.  "  Hymni 
omnibus  diurnis  actionibus  convenientes."  His  funeral 
hymn,  Hymnus  in  Exequiis  Defunctorum  is  the  tenth  of 
these,  and  is  by  common  consent  the  best  of  all  his 
hymns.  It  is  a  noble  poem  on  Death,  the  Grave,  and  the 
Resurrection,  consisting  of  fortj'-three  stanzas,  portions 
of  which,  sometimes  more  and  sometimes  less,  selected 
variously,  have  been  published  in  collections,  Protestant 
as  well  as  Catholic.  I  have  not  seen  anywhere,  except 
in  Trench,  the  concluding  portion  of  the  hymn  separated 
from  all  the  rest.  In  the  following  hymn  I  have  taken 
the  same  concluding  stanzas,  considering  them  to  have, 
besides  their  individual  beauty,  a  collective  unity  and 
beauty  which  have  not  alwajrs  been  found  in  the  other 
selections,  and  which  commend  them,  especially,  to  quiet, 
religious  contemplation. 

The  time  of  the  death  of  Prudentius,  as  well  as  the 
place  of  his  birth,  are  unknown. 


140 


IN  EXEQUIIS  DEFUNCTORUM. 


Jam  moesta  qutesce  querela, 
Hacijrgmas  suspenolte,  mattes, 
Jlullus  sua  ptgnora  plangat, 
Jiflors  ijaec  reparatto  bit#  est. 

g>U  gemma  stcca  btreseunt, 
Jam  mortua  jamtiue  sepulta, 
i®u«  retitiita  c&sptte  at  tmo 
ITetereis  metittantur  aristas. 

iBtunc  gugctpe,  terra,  folientium, 
(Bremtoque  Ijunc  eonctpe  moUi, 
l^omtnis  tifti  memtra  sequestro, 
(§enerosa  et  fragmtna  cretro. 

glttim^  futt  fjaec  fcomus  olim, 
jpaetorts  at  ore  create, 
jPerbens  Ijatttabtt  in  tstts 
g>airientia  princtpe  (Jtljrtsto. 

5Tu  tiepositum  tetje  corpus, 
JHon  Cmmemor  tlie  requtret 
Sua  munera  fictor  et  auctor, 
^roprttque  eentgmata  bttltus. 

Ucniant  mofco  tempora  justa, 
(Kum  spem  J3cus  impleat  omnem, 
i£v extras  patefacta  neccsse  est, 
©ualem  titi  trat»o  figuram. 


A  FUNERAL  HYMN. 


Be  still  the  voice  of  sorrow  here — 
Ye  mothers,  dry  your  weeping  eyes — 
Let  no  one  mourn  his  children  dear — 
From  death  a  better  life  shall  rise. 

Dry  seeds  begin  to  live  anew, 
When  dead  and  buried  in  the  ground — 
And  from  the  earth  restored  to  view, 
In  living  blades  again  are  found. 

This  body  take  to  cherish,  Earth, 
As  to  thy  gentle  bosom's  dust, 
These  limbs,  to  which  thou  gavest  birth, 
These  noble  relics  we  entrust 

For  here  once  dwelt  a  living  soul, 
Created  by  the  breath  divine — 
And  wisdom,  Jesus  did  control, 
These  mortal  relics  did  enshrine. 

Protect  thou,  Earth,  the  body,  then, 
Within  the  grave  in  silence  laid, 
For  God  will  call  to  Him  again, 
What  was  in  His  own  image  made. 

The  time  shall  surely  come  once  more, 
When  hope  shall  see  these  relics  live — 
When  thou  must  open  and  restore 
The  form  which  now  to  thee  we  give. 


IN  EXEQUIIS  DEFUNCTORUM. 


Jion  si  cariosa  betustas 
Bissolberit  ossa  fabillis, 
J^uetitaue  cinisculus  arens 
jSfUntmi  mensura  pugilli: 

i^ec  si  baga  flumina,  tt 
"Vacuum  per  inane  bolantes, 
^ulerint  cum  pulbere  nerbos, 
ifc)ominem  periisse  licetit. 

Sftr  irum  tesolutile  corpus 
liebocas,  Jieus,  atque  reformat, 
(Jluanam  regione  jubetis 
Enimam  requiescere  puram  ? 

iSremio  senis  abtiita  sancti 
Ittecutatit,  ut  ilia  tlajari, 
Ouem  floritus  untiique  septum 
ZBibes  procul  aspicit  artiens. 

Sequimur  tua  tiictat  Ketiemptor, 
us  atra  a  morte  triumpljans, 
per  bestigia  mantras 
um  crucis  ire  latronem. 

iPatet  ecce  fitrelitus  ampli 

ia  lucitra  jam  paratiisi, 
Eicet  et  nemus  illutr  atiire, 
Domini  quoti  atiemerat  anguis. 

j^os  tecta  fobetnmus  ossa 
Uiolis  et  fronfce  frequenti, 
et  frigitra  saxa 
spargemus  otiore. 


A  FUNERAL  11YMX. 


Nor  if  the  perishing  decay 
Should  turn  these  bones  to  ashes  here, 
And  but  the  smallest  handful  stay 
To  show  where  now  these  limbs  appear  — 

Nor  should  the  winds  and  waters  rise, 
And  hence  in  sweeping  currents  bear 
This  frame  and  earth  wherein  it  lies, 
Could  man  be  made  to  perish  there. 

But  when  the  changed  and  mouldered  frame, 
Thou,  God,  shalt  call  and  form  anew, 
Where  is  the  place  Thou  wilt  proclaim 
Home  of  the  spirit  pure  and  true  ? 

'Twill  lie  in  Abraham's  bosom  blest, 
As  that  of  Lazarus  did  of  old, 
Whom,  wrapt  in  flowers  of  heavenly  rest, 
Dives  in  torment  did  behold. 

Thy  words,  Eedeemer,  are  our  guide, 
In  dying  triumph  said  by  Thee, 
W^hen  to  the  thief  who  with  Thee  died, 
Thou  saidst  he  should  Thy  glory  see. 

And  thus  the  faithful  may  behold 
The  shining  path  to  Paradise, 
And  walk  that  garden  grove,  of  old, 
The  Serpent  took  from  human  eyes. 

Here  we  will  deck  these  buried  bones 
With  violets  and  garlands  fair, 
And  on  their  monumental  stones 
Will  sprinkle  odors  fresh  and  rare. 


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